Chittagong Bureau :
The city dwellers of the port city are the worst sufferers of the impact of incessant monsoon rain accompanied with the high tide water of the sea .
The sufferings also intensified following the excess release of water from Kaptai Lake . The city is experiencing incessant rains from Saturday last which intensified from drizzling to heavy downpour from Sunday .
Following the high tide in sea and abnormal release of water from Kaptai lake , the city’s low lying areas inundated with knee to waist deep water on every afternoon from Friday to Sunday last but the this situation aggravates following the heavy torrential rains from Sunday night to last day .From early morning yesterday, the low lying areas of Bahadarhat, Sulkbahar, Katalgonj, Nasirabad,Baizid, Solasahar, Chowkbazr, Panchalaish, DC Road, Khaja Road, Chandgaon, Mohora,chaktai, khatungonj, Masterpool. Boubazar, Miakhan Nagar,Rajakali, Agrabad, chotopol, CDA Agrabad, Halishahar, Pahartali , Sagarika have became waterlogged .
Following that , the commuters and office goers faced immense sufferings to reach their destinations. Auto rickshaws, battery run rickshaws, battery run easy bike, motorbikes could not be plied in these areas due to water logging. With the advantages of water logging, the rickshaw pullers demanding excess fare than double of the earlier rate from the commuters.
Meanwhile the business community of Khatungonj and Chaktai are the worst sufferers of water logging . Every day they had to face this problems as the tidal water enters in the area due to high ebb tide.
On Monday, Chittagong chamber President Mahbubul Alam sent a urgent message to Water Resources Minister Anisul Islam Mahmud to mitigate the water logging problems immediately , otherwise the tradition and reputation of the business hub of the country will be ruined . The d.o. letter was also asked the Minister to immediately make arrangement for dredging of Karnapuli River as well as Chaktai and Moheskhal on priority basis and demanded construction of sluice gates at the estuary of Chaktai khal and Moheshkal with pump house to discharge the upstream waters.
Following the badly affects of the wholesale traders in Khatungonj-Chaktai business hub , the prices of the essential commodities are gradually hiking which hampering the livelihoods of the low and middle income groups .
Mentionable that the prices of essential commodities went high with some extents in last week specifically of onion, garlicks, ginzer, lintels and spices , a retailer sources said. According to Patenga Met office, Chitagong and its adjoining areas experienced 149 milimeter rainfall on Monday night upto 9 am yesterday. Sources said next sea tide will begin from 9.30 pm on Tuesday .
Mentionable that to save the Kaptai power dam from undesired danger , 16 slipways of the dam remained opened round the clock for the last one month to release excess water accumulated from the lake beyond required water level . A PDB sources said 18000 cusec water is being released from these slipways in every second to avoid any danger theron.
Recently a media report disclosed that the water level of the kaptai lake 8-10 feets high than the required level which is most riskful for any unwanted disaster.
