Filled-up ponds cause for fire fighters' concern

Fire fighters are not getting enough water to douse blaze in Mymensingh town as most of its ponds were filled with earth, creating public concern.

Locals said there were at least 20 ponds in the town. Many of those were used as the only source of water for taking bath and household chores in the respective areas.

But 15 of them have completely been grabbed over the last four decades, said Kazi Mohammad Yeasin living near Ganginarpar Hawkers Market.

The rest of the ponds are being encroached upon, said the 80-year-old.

“We have destroyed the century-old water reservoirs putting the town in great danger in time of fire incidents,” he said.

For instance, a fire incident took place on June 7 this year. This, what fire fighters say, was one of the disastrous ones in the town.

Around 150 shops, mostly footwear and clothing stores, were burnt to ashes at Ganginarpar Hawkers Market.

“We searched for a waterbody near the spot, but to no avail. Finally, we collected water from a pond of Bidyamoyee Govt Girls High School, which is far,” said Shahidur Rahman, assistant director of Mymensingh Fire Service and Civil Defense.

The fire caused a loss of Tk 50 crore, said businesspersons of the market.

From January 2017 to August 2018, around 50 fire incidents took place in the town, said Shahidur, adding, “In most of the cases, we faced similar experience due to water crisis.”

As there is no fire hydrant system to pump water from underground, they have to depend on waterbodies to extinguish fire, said the official, adding that ponds are the major source of water in the town.

If the authorities concerned had taken proper steps to protect the ponds there would be no such crisis, said several residents.

Advocate Shibbir Ahmed Liton, secretary of Mymensingh Poribesh Rakkha o Unnayan Andolon, said they submitted memorandums on various occasions to the district administration to save the ponds.

However, no action has been taken in this regard, he added.

Nurul Amin Kalam, secretary of Mymensingh Nagorik Andolon, a citizens' forum, said all the ponds have to be free from encroachment immediately.

The Office of the Deputy Commissioner is entrusted with looking after the ponds.

Deputy Commissioner Suvash Chandra Biswas said he took charge several months ago. “We have already started actions to save the ponds from encroachment.”

He did not give further details about the actions.