Ponds, water bodies in Ctg city disappearing fast

2 November 2009, 17:00 PM

SHAHIDUL ISLAM, Chittagong

Only small portions of Moulavipukur at Chandgaon and Sattar Collectorbarir Pukur at Agrabad in Chittagong remain unfilled as filling up of water bodies for construction work continues unabated in the port city. PHOTO: Zobaer Hossain Sikder

Over 14,000 ponds and other water bodies have disappeared from the map of Chittagong city in last 18 years, thanks to unplanned urbanisation and lax monitoring by the authorities. Filling up of the water bodies, including ponds and tanks, poses serious threat to environment and compounds water crisis in the port city. According to a survey conducted by District Fisheries Department in 1991, the number of water bodies in Chittagong city was 19,250 while the Physical Feature Survey conducted by Chittagong Development Authority in 2006-2007 indicated existence of 4,523 water bodies there. According to the survey, the number of water bodies in the district is 35,906. However, the data on the number of water bodies in the port city vary in surveys conducted by different organisations while there is not any recent information regarding the number of now existing water bodies. During the past 18 years, a number of large and well-known ponds and water bodies of the city have been filled up for construction of apartments, markets and other commercial establishments. Rajapukur in Anderkilla, Dewanjipukur in Dewan Bazar, Rotherpukur in Nandankanan, Moulvipukur in Chandgaon, Daummapukur in Firingee Bazar, Maillerpukur and Munshipukur in Bohaddarhat were once well known to the people but there is no trace of the ponds at present. Rajapukur, a large pond at Rajapukur Lane near the Chittagong City Corporation in Anderkilla, is now a history as high-rise apartment blocks replaced it a few years ago. The Dewanjipukur in Dewan Bazar has been replaced by apartments and a temple while the Rotherpukur near Tulshi Dham Temple in Nandankan area by apartments and markets. Moulvipukur in Chandgaon has almost disappeared to give space for truck terminal, apartments and markets. The remaining narrow portion is now waiting to be filled up. Maillerpukur and Munshipukur in Bohaddarhat were replaced by bus terminal and apartment. The process of filling up water bodies has not stopped yet, thanks to the lax monitoring by the authorities concerned. Earth filling on Nazirpukur in Patenga, Masjidpukur in Dakshin-Maddhyam Halishahar, Pakhir Dokanerpukur in Sholokbahar, Abdus Sattar Collector Barirpukur in Agrabad, Abdul Majid Masjidpukur in Monsurabad By-lane, Baluardighi in Korbaniganj, a pond near Haji Noor Ahmad Road in Al Falah Goli and a number of ponds at Munsipara, Mollapara and Rongipara in North Agrabad is still going on. Expressing concern over the situation, Sharif Chowhan, coordinator of environmentalist group 'Save Chittagong', said, “Water bodies are like tissues in our body. They provide the water needs for the health of our soil and environment. But, nobody cares for this.” Member of Forum for Planned Chittagong engineer M Ali Ashraf, an expert on town planning and drainage, said the fire fighters have also been facing acute shortage of water while dousing fire due to the water body crisis. “The country's second largest city doesn't have any fire hydrants. Besides, there is virtually no water body in densely populated areas like Chaktai and Khatunganj,” he said. “Most of the city dwellers depend on the tube-wells because of acute water crisis of Chittagong Water and Sewerage Authority. The overuse of tube-wells will surely lower the underground water level," Ashraf said. Officials of Civil Defence and Fire Brigade Department here said there is a rule to obtain NOC (no objection certificate) from the department before filling up any water body but nobody seems to care about it. “If filling up of water bodies continues at the current pace, our fire fighters will find themselves helpless spectators in case of any fire incident in near future,” said an official preferring anonymity.