Garbage from canal left on road for days

The pile of waste that the authorities had lifted from Chaktai canal has just been lying on the road at Chawkbazar Phooltola area for around a week, making locals and pedestrians suffer.

Locals said the waste was lifted around a week ago, but the authorities are yet to take it away.

Yesterday, many were seen covering their nose to save themselves from the stench.

"I don't get why city corporation workers left the pile here for so many days," said Md Shamsuddin, a local. Tunu Das, another local, said after the garbage was lifted and piled on the road, the whole area became muddy with the canal's filthy, black water mixed with waste.

Asked whether residents contacted CCC, Abdus Shukkur, a resident, said they asked the local supervisor of CCC's conservancy team to remove the garbage some three days ago, but no action was taken till yesterday.

Contacted, CCC Ward-17 Councillor (West Bakalia) Shahidul Alam said when he noticed that the road had become slippery because of the waste, he instructed conservancy workers to remove the garbage immediately.

"Actually, the canal was cleaned by Chattogram Development Authority (CDA) under a mega-project to address waterlogging, and it is responsible for removing the waste," he said. "Yet, I will look into it."

Contacted, CCC Deputy Chief Conservancy Officer Morshedul Alam Chowdhury echoed him.

People think the city corporation is cleaning the canal, but that is not true. CDA is doing that, and it is responsible for removing waste from the road, he said. "We will contact them to remove the garbage."

Lt Col Shah Ali, director of CDA's mega-project, said, "We will remove it immediately. Actually, the garbage was kept there so that it dries under the sun, as local councillors allege that when we carry just-collected, wet garbage in vehicles, roads on the way become dirty and muddy. So, we keep it on the road for two to three days."