Rain brings miseries, again

Yesterday's heavy rain inundated most parts of Khulna city again, causing sufferings to residents.

Within a span of six hours -- from 6:00am till noon -- 113 millimetres of rainfall was recorded in the city, Amirul Azad, regional director of Khulna Met Office, told The Daily Star.

Many areas including Khanjahan Ali Road, Lower Jessore Road, Rupsha Strand Road, KDA Avenue, Iqbalnagar, Tutpara, Gallamary, Moilapota, Dakbanglo, Santhidham Mor, Phulmarket and Press Club area went under ankle to knee-deep water.

People of the low lying areas were the worst sufferers as most of the roads there went under waist-deep water.

In many places, water entered their households, said locals. It was almost impossible to find any transport on roads. Due to the rain, many students did not attend school yesterday.

According to the residents, rain escalated their miseries as the roads remained waterlogged due to a poor drainage system. They blamed the Khulna City Corporation (KCC) and Khulna Development Authorities (KDA) for this continuous misery.

Sheikh Ashrafuzzaman, secretary general of Greater Khulna Unnayan Sangram Committee, said, “Due to unabated encroachment, most of the 47 canals are clogged up. Also, people continue to dump waste in those, making the situation worse.”

According to KCC sources, it has around 550 employees to clean and maintain 2,187 drains.

 “But the authorities are not maintaining them properly,” Ashrafuzzaman alleged.

Contacted, KCC Mayor Moniruzzaman Moni said, “It's natural that the low-lying areas will inundate after a heavy rain.”

He said the city corporation is cleaning the drains and canals regularly. “But influential people continue to encroach upon the water bodies, contributing to the waterlogging.”

“Everyone including Khulna Water Supply and Sewerage Authority, Khulna Development Authorities, Khulna Metropolitan Police and people will have to work together to mitigate the waterlogging crisis.”

He said they have taken a Tk 6,000 crore master plan where a 35km embankment will be built to save the city from tidal water, which is also a reason behind waterlogging.