Waterlogging
CCC to clear canals, drains before rains
Chittagong City Corporation (CCC) will start work for widening and dredging around 300 canals and cleaning drains in the port city before the rainy season to rid the city dwellers of waterlogging.
Sources at the CCC said the authorities have completed dredging of canals and cleaning drains in June this year. But the rain hampered the work to a large extent and the canals and drains were silted up shortly after completion of the work.
The CCC started Tk 5 crore work in December last year after an interval of two years. It used ten sophisticated excavators for the first time to dredge over 100 canals and clean the drains, they said.
Acting mayor M Manjur Alam said process to dredge and widen the canals and drains have been completed and work will start in this regard by December.
He said they will be able to avoid 60 to 70 percent of waterlogging this year compared to previous years following the renovation work.
The councillors of 41 wards submitted list of canals and drains need to be dredged and widened, he said, adding that the work would be done as per demand of the councillors.
Sources said the canals that were dredged in the last season would also be brought under the work and the small canals would be cleaned just before the rainy season. A section of city dwellers dump household wastage in the canals instead of the designated dustbins blocking the normal flow of rainwater.
CCC Superintendent Engineer Mohammad Abu Saleh said they would use the sophisticated excavators also this year to accelerate the renovation work.
He said they have finalised a list of canals and drains for renovation and the tender would be floated within shortest possible time in this regard.
Saleh said they have sent a proposal to the government for constructing a road alongside the Chaktai Khal (canal) from Chamra Gudam to Bohoddarhat area to save the canal from the occupants. The project is under process, he added.
He said the walkway would help run excavator for renovation work during the rainy season while the people would be able to reach Bohoddarhat area through a short way.
The CCC has already constructed around three kilometres of six- kilometre walkway along the Chaktai Khal, he said, adding that acquisition of more lands is needed to complete the work.
The major canals, which would be dredged and widened this season, include Chaktai Khal and Diversion Khal at different points, Mohesh Khal near Police Line at Halishahar, Shital Jharna at Panchlaish, Bamunshahi Khal, Mirza Khal and Dom Khal at Chandgaon, Birza Khal at East Sholoshahar, Tripura Khal at West Sholoshahar, Chashma Khal at Sholokbahar, Gohona Chhara at Halishahar and Nasir Khan Chhara at North Agrabad, Saleh informed.
The city residents experienced serious waterlogging on June 11 and October 16 last year.
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