Editorial
Distressing deluge aftermath
Can't we do something lasting and do it quickly?
Inundation of the capital due to heavy rains is not an unusual occurrence. It happens almost every year with varying degrees, but the recent torrent that brought the city to a standstill, imposing great sufferings to the city dwellers, exposes our abject lack of capacity to deal with such an eventuality. We are told that the system was overwhelmed because our sewerage is not capable of handling more than the routine rain runoff. And that is what begs the question. What may we ask is the 'routine' drainage capacity? We also notice the usual passing of the buck and shifting of responsibilities by different agencies to each other, like WASA blaming the City Corporation and the district administration, for all the woes caused by the heavy downpour. Rajuk must also take the blame for the unplanned, haphazard urbanization. We agree that we had more than the usual rainfall over three days. But enough is enough. No longer can we put up with efforts of the agencies to hide behind excuses. We know that the canals have been occupied illegally, but whose job is it to see those freed from illegal occupation? We know that the drainage system is overwhelmed but some one should answer for the huge amount spent on storm sewerage every year with no improvement in the system. We are told of derelict canals and about the intention to reclaim 11 of them. But nothing tangible has come about. The fact is that there is absence of long term planning, and coordination between the agencies in using whatever resources they have is lacking too. We see some flurry of activities during the wet season only to be discontinued when it is over. Such seasonal seriousness we can do well without. There are several factors that have added to the problem. The bane of urbanisation is only too evident with a large portion of the catchment areas in and around Dhaka city filled up to make for high rise buildings. Also, apart from the canals that are supposed to allow the runoffs into the surrounding rivers having been encroached upon, those rivers too have been silted, obstructing natural flow outwards. We suggest that the problem of water logging of the capital be addressed urgently. We feel that the current dispensation, with no political constraints to contend with, should utilise all its energy towards streamlining urban planning of Dhaka city, reclaiming and re-excavating the derelict canals as well dredging the surrounding rivers. After all, this is as important an issue, if not more, as many of those that the caretaker government is seized with at the moment.
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