Tidal surge inundates Ctg cremation ground

On Wednesday, Debobroto Pal brought the body of his sister to  the cremation ground in Boluardhighir Par area of Chattogram to  perform her funeral.

Her body was kept upon a wood pyre, while Debobroto with a heavy heart waited for the cremation to be completed when suddenly, tidal surge mixed with garbage flooded the ground, leaving the family in shock.

After much struggle, the family was able to protect the pyre, let the flame burn and finish the ritual amid the filthy water.

"I  don't know what to say… I never thought the last rites of my sister  would be performed in such a condition. This is unacceptable. The  authorities must do something to resolve such a crisis. The dead deserve a  graceful adieu," Debu told The Daily Star.

This is not  just an isolated incident. Many are forced to cremate their loved ones  in such an awful condition at the largest and century-old cremation  ground in the city.

Even the cremation authorities are helpless  as they have no other alternatives, said priest Rupam Chakrabarty.  "Every monsoon, we experience this as the ground gets inundated by tidal  water," he added.

He said they have been facing this issue for  almost a decade. "People come here to bid farewell to their family  members and grieve. But instead, they have to go through such a terrible  experience," he added. Every day, they perform two funeral rites on an average, he added.

He  mentioned that Khursed Alam Sujan, the newly-appointed administrator of  Chattogram City Corporation, visited the cremation ground on Friday and  assured them of taking necessary steps to rid the place of tidal surge.

The cremation centre lies adjacent to Chaktai canal from where the tidal surge enters the premises every monsoon.

Jahar  Lal Hazari, president of the centre's managing body, told The Daily  Star that the canal remains clogged, resulting in the situation. "We urge the city corporation to excavate the canal immediately. We also have a masterplan to renovate the place," he added.

Contacted,  Shamsuddoha, chief executive officer of CCC, said, "We are trying to  resolve the issue. We will also review the masterplan submitted by the  cremation centre committee to help mitigate the crisis."

Mentionable,  CDA (Chattogram Development Authority) has taken up a mega project to end this perennial crisis.

The project  to mitigate waterlogging included excavating 9.50-lakh cubic meters of  mud from 36 canals, building 85km road on canal banks, constructing  three flood water retaining areas, replacing 54 RCC culverts and girder  bridges, constructing five tidal regulators, building 42 silt traps,  expanding 15.5km side drain and building 200 cross drain culverts, Lt  Col Md Shah Ali, CDA project director, told The Daily Star.

By  the end of this year, they will be able to complete construction of five  tidal regulators also, which will help control tidal surge, he said.