Chittagong Bureau :
Chittagong City Corporation mayor M Monjur Alam on Saturday said that if the drainage master plan had been implemented, it would have been possible to address the water logging problems in the port city properly.
He said this while addressing as the chief guest a view-exchange meeting at GEC Convention Centre in the city where around 2,000 women participated.
Chittagong City Corporation orgainsed the meeting titled ‘Role of Community Development Committee leaders under Urban Partnership for Poverty Reduction project towards raising consciousness regarding waste management and addressing water-logging’.
With Councilor Mohammad Hossain in the chair, the meeting was addressed by East Delta University vice-chancellor Prof Muhammed Sikander Khan, Chittagong University pro-vice chancellor Prof Iftekhar Uddin Chowdhury, Chittagong Civil Surgeon Dr Sarfaraj Khan, Chittagong Department of Environment director Zafar Alam, Engr Delwar Hossain Majumder, architect Zerina Hossain, former public prosecutor of Chittagong Mafizul Haque Bhuiyan, member secretary of Chattagram Unnayan Andolon SUM Nurul Islam, CDC leader Usha Rani Dey and town manager of UPPR Abdullah-hel-Mamun, among others.
Expressing resentment over non-implementation of the drainage master plan of 1995 of Chittagong Development Authority (CDA), the mayor said that there should also be a review of the master plan.
“Since I took charge of the CCC in 2010, I have been giving water-logging a top priority. We are excavating mud and garbage from different canals in the city,” said Manjur Alam, adding that the proposal to dig a connecting canal at a cost of Tk 297 crore in Bahaddarhat area has already been approved by the government.
“Since Chittagong is a city of hills, muds from the hills are washed away by rainwater and choke the drains and canals of the city. The water does not remain stagnant for long and it takes only 2-3 hours to recede,” said Monjur. East Delta University Vice-Chancellor Prof Muhammed Sikander Khan said that the corporation set a precedence through involving women in managing waste of the city.
“We can easily manage waste through the recycling process,” said Chittagong University pro-vice chancellor Prof Iftekhar Uddin Chowdhury. “We should keep the premier port city clean by any means as it is a major tourist attraction of the country. Many countries of the world have already reached ‘zero waste stage’ and we should follow them. Waste has now become a circulative resource.
We can produce fertiliser and generate power from waste,” said Chittagong DoE Director Zafar Alam, adding that the corporation should slap fine on the polluters on the basis of ‘Polluters Pay Principle’.
