Editorial
Port city paralysed
Outrageous neglect of civic governance
A victim of long-term neglect compounded by reckless expropriation of hills, severe water-logging has crippled the financial capital of the country. It is now cut off from the rest of the country as a result of downpours bringing all forms of communications to a standstill.
The city faces all the tragic consequences because rainwater finds no way to run off through any semblance of a drainage system. With the main parts of the city as well as roads, rail lines and runway of the airport having been choked, communications within the city and links with other parts of the country were snapped.
As if that was not enough, parts of the port city went under pall of darkness for long hours with the Power Development Board (PDB) snapping electricity connections fearing short circuits. The heavy rain along with attendant mudslides took a toll of some 15 lives.
Clearly, the authorities slept over the aggravating condition, while during the last four to five years water-logging problem of the city has turned from bad to worse.
The cursing marooned city dwellers blamed the Chittagong City Corporation (CCC), WASA and the Chittagong Development Authority (CDA) for their suffering. How could basic infrastructural deficiency of this sprawling city be trivialised by politicking city authorities? They expressed their dissatisfaction over the CCC's inordinate delay in digging the seven-kilometre canal project. CCC commissioner in charge of the project, however, pointed to the fund crisis as well as lack of cooperation from WASA and other relevant authorities--so goes the blame trading.
We are simply appalled at the state of civic governance in the premier port city and commercial hub of the country.
We suggest measures be taken on an emergency footing to pump out the water and also cater for sanitation needs. At the same time, construction of the canal and other infrastructural projects should be undertaken on a top priority basis.
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