A cleanliness drive has begun in Khulna, but sudden rain and storm winds are hindering the effort, frustrating the people of Khulna City Corporation (KCC).
For the residents, the rain is neither a blessing nor does it bring any respite. It just begets waterlogging, overflowing drains, plus the inundation of most roads, shops, and houses in the city.
Due to a lack of proper drainage and sewerage systems in the city, waterlogging has become a perennial problem for its dwellers, especially in the rainy season.
The residents blame poor drainage systems for their woes.
KCC Mayor Talukder Abdul Khaleque was elected on the promise of building a green and clean KCC.
In the 2008 election, the former mayor attempted the same feat.
Although the drains and filled-up city canals have been excavated—and re-excavated— plus illegal structures on the canals have been demolished several times, the problem of waterlogging persists.
The efforts of the governments, KCC, and the Khulna Development Authority (KDA) to recover grabbed canals to resolve waterlogging is yet to show success.
A businessman of Tutrapara area in the city Afsar Hossain said: “When it rains, the roads are submerged under water," pointing to floating dirt on the road, he furthered, "if this condition continues, how can it [Khulna] be transformed into green and clean city?”
Khulna City Corporation Executive Engineer (Mechanical) and Chief Waste Management Officer Abdul Aziz said: “The cleanliness drive of city is on but the rain is the main barrier to implementing the drainage and cleanliness drive.
He continued: "We had been trying to end the waterlogging and have planned to improve the city’s drainage system for a long time."
Secretary General of Khulna Nagorik Anodan Delwar Hossain said: “Grabbers occupying land is another cause of waste dumping on the roads; eviction drives against the grabbers are badly needed.”
Khulna Coordinator of Paribesh Bachao Andolan Babul Hawlader said: “The city will have to remove the water and dirt. Sediment from the drain has to be removed immediately. The KCC needs to clean the city regularly.”