Public woes acute as waterlogging persists in two Chandpur upazilas

CHANDPUR, Aug 20: About 4,000 people in Shahrasti upazila and 6,000 of Kachua upazila of the district have been suffering a lot due to persistent water-logging in the upazilas in absence of proper drainage facilities.

This situation has been created and has worsened over the past few months due to incessant rainfall during the months of Ashar and Srabon.

According to the locals, the people in Shahrasti Upazila just in between Hajiganj upazila border lines have been passing days amid great miseries as they have remained waterlogged for over three months.

Even if someone dies, he or she cannot be buried here in the graveyard let alone offering janaja due to the persistent water stagnation at the village.

The affected people are residents of Dopalla Bazar area in Ward No 2 of Tamta union in the upazila . They are the main victims of the troublesome waterlogging.

During a recent visit, this correspondent observed that due to waterlogging , knee-deep water has inundated roads and lanes all around. Locals are bound to wade through the polluted stagnant water.

So a good number of them, especially children, are reportedly contracting water-borne diseases including allergies.

There is no way to get rid of this bad situation-said some affected locals adding that some influential people in the area have blocked the drains and canal creating water stagnation.

Affected people- Selim Hossain , Billal Hossain Sheikh, Hasan Talukder, Nabir Hossain, Faruque, Shafique Talukder and a few others alleged that some influential people have encroached upon the canal for the past 7/8 years by building shops and houses and that's why, rainwaters cannot pass through the derelict waterbody.

So it has created waterlogging and about 4,000 people have been suffering due to the knee-deep water that accumulated on the roads and home yards around.

People have to wade into the knee-deep water in the affected neighbourhood every now and then.

Local UP member Abdur Rahim told the FE, "Shahrasti Upazila's AC land (assistant commissioner land) recently visited the waterlogged area and directed the encroachers to make arrangement to flush out the stagnant water but to no avail, although some 20 days have already gone by since then."

He added that he would inform the upazila administration about the delay in recovering the grabbed canal.

On the other hand, around 6,000 people are similarly affected due to prolonged waterlogging at Changpur village in Bitara union of Kachua upazila.

Talking to the FE, some local elites- Jahangir Sarker, Rafiqul Islam Patwary, Jalal Patwary, Razia Begum and Jahanara Begum said when the rainy season begins, rainwater remains stagnant at this village affecting at least sixty families.

"We remain marooned due to prolonged waterlogging at this village. Some influential people have built dwelling houses choking up all the drains and canals and that's why waterlogging has been created inundating the roads, lanes, by-lanes and home yards," said a victim.

Time and again the locals have appealed to the UP administrator to construct a drain in this area so that they can get rid of this long time waterlogging.

Talking to the FE, UP administrator Rakibul Islam said he would visit the affected area soon and take necessary steps afterwards in this regard after consultation with the higher authorities. Till then all have been requested to wait.

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