Khatunganj lost more than Tk 514cr to waterlogging in 2020: study
Traders in Chattogram's Khatunganj incurred direct financial losses of around Tk 514.38 crore this past year solely for waterlogging, estimated a report made public yesterday.
The destruction occurred not only to stocks of the country's once top commodity trading centre and commercial hub but also through decrease in sales.
There was as well damages to infrastructure and properties, lack of capital assets, price of repairment and renovation and relocation of organization cost.
A number of the non-financial impacts include mental trauma, anxiety or psychological pressure, demotivation to do business and reputational damage, the study found.
It feared that with improvements in climatic conditions, such estimated monetary impact would be even higher with time if no effective solution is undertaken.
The analysis suggested for regular dredging facilities for the Karnaphuli river and Chaktai canal and ensuring responsible waste operations practices by the traders to get rid of the problem.
The report was the culmination of a yearlong research titled "Review on economical Impact of Waterlogging on Local Trade: The Circumstance of Khatunganj, Chattogram".
The analysis was conducted by Associate Prof AKM Nazrul Islam, coordinator of Environmental Economics Programme of the Dhaka University of Economics; urban meteorologist Senior Associate Prof Abu Taib Mohammad Shahjahan of American International University Bangladesh and Prof Md Reaz Akter Mullick of the Department of Civil Engineering of the Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology.
The three acted as consultants of a project of National Resilience Programme (NRP), that was run by Programming Division of the look Commission, funded by US Development Programme and initiated and supervised by the CCCI.
The analysis was presented at a seminar organised by the Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) at Bangabandhu Hall of World Trade Centre in the port city.
Chairing the event, CCCI President Mahbubul Alam said the age-previous commodity trading hub upon the banking institutions of Chaktai canal offers been facing frequent waterlogging for the last 15 years.
Chattogram City Corporation (CCC) Mayor Rezaul Karim Chowdhury due to chief guest urged for a good platform to work found in a coordinated fashion to fix the problem not merely for Khatungnaj but metropolis as well.
The platform could possibly be formed beneath the CCC comprising all of the relevant organisations like Chittagong Creation Authority, Chattogram Port Authority (CPA), Wasa and Water Development Board, he said.
Addressing as specialized guest, Planning Commission Development Division Chief Khandker Ahsan Hossain explained the federal government was giving priority to such studies in order that the chance management factors could be learnt which might help make personal sector investments even more sustainable.
The study found that low rainfall of around 75 mm per day brings about a water degree of 2.5 metres at the Chaktai canal.
Meanwhile ordinary rainfall generates a water level of 3 to 3.5 metre leading to inundation at Khatunganj. Compared to it, the area's main road is approximately 2.9 to 3.1 metre.
The average rainfall of 125 mm a day creates water inundation of about 6 inches to 1 1 foot over the main road while a heavy rainfall of 200 mm a day with a climate change scenario provides around 4.1 metre water level, meaning around 1 meter depth of normal water inundation on the road.
All of the 224 structures on the two sides of Khatunganj main road become vulnerable in a day of large rainfall.
The analysis recommended revitalising the Chaktai canal by demolishing all RCC works from underneath of it and widening the canal to permit sufficient flow of water to revive biodiversity.
It stressed the necessity for revitalisation and reconnection of water-based transportation in the source chain by reactivating Chaktai canal by demolishing recent bridges over it and construct a fresh bridge allowing vessel navigation underneath.
Other recommendations include creating a multimodal transport hub to integrate road connection with the waterway and establishing a "waste materials to energy plant" to control solid waste material at metropolis and on an area scale.
It needed taking proper thinking about land use to keep up water retention areas found in the canal catchment and to increase water retention potential of Chaktai canal by dredging and by widening roadside drains to keep carefully the canal free from blockage.
Analysing the land at the website, currently building structures go over around 55 % of the whole area where water storage capacity in conditions of water bodies covers just 7 per cent.
To remove waterlogging the study recommends to improve water holding potential to 52 % and reduce building composition in the area to 46 %.
