Little rain floods major roads for poor drainage

Several major roads in the district town go under ankle to knee-deep water even after a light rain, allegedly due to poor drainage system, causing immense sufferings to the townspeople. 

During a visit to several areas yesterday morning, this correspondent saw a number of main roads in the town, including Old Bus Stand-Railway Station Road, Naresh Chowhan Road, Sirajdoulah Road, different roads in Goalpara, Sarcarpara went under knee-deep water following an hour-long light rainfall in the morning.

The rain water remained stagnant on the roads for hours as the drains were clogged blocking smooth flow of water.

Students and locals were compelled to use the roads for going to their workplaces and schools and colleges.

Stinks from drains mixed with the stagnant water added to the woes of the locals and pedestrians.

Zakia Sultana, a student of Class-VIII at Thakurgaon Collectorate School and College, told this correspondent that they suffer much as their road to the school remains water logged.

Saidur Rahman, a resident of Godhuli Bazar, said the municipality made about a half -- kilometre drain from Bazarpara to Senuapara but the area still suffers from water logging problem as its connecting point to the river is rarely kept clear.

Sohrab Hossain, owner of Pakizah Cloth Store, alleged they were facing losses as the people avoided the market for shopping due to water logging after each drizzle. 

Former municipality chairman of Thakurgaon, Solaiman Ali, blamed people of different areas for building various structures without maintaining the building codes. For this, the municipality also cannot make drains in different areas, he said. 

Contacted, Mayor of Thakurgaon Municipality SMA Moin said, "We developed the drainage system to our best in the last three years. But we can not construct new drains as per our planning due to lack of cooperation needed from townspeople. A section of people created obstruction to water flowing by dumping soil and waste in the drains. And this also causes water logging after a light rainfall, he added.

The water logging problem cannot not be solved without total cooperation of municipality people, the mayor observed.