Advocacy meeting with relevant authorities, other stakeholders to resolve waterlogging in Satkhira
Satkhira Sadar Correspondent
A youth-led advocacy meeting was held with relevant authorities and other stakeholders to resolve waterlogging in Satkhira.
The advocacy meeting was held at the Mangrove meeting room on Tuesday at 10 am, implemented by the non-governmental development organization Cido and in collaboration with ActionAid Bangladesh. The meeting was chaired by the CEO of Cido, Shyamal Kumar Biswas, and Satkhira Sadar Upazila Executive Officer Arnab Dutta was present as the chief guest.
Satkhira Municipality Conservancy Inspector Md. Idris Ali, retired teacher Pavitra Mohan Das, former panel mayor of Satkhira Municipality Md. Shafiq Ud-Daula Sagar, executive director of Swadesh Madhav Chandra Dutta, panel chairman of Brahmarajpur Union Parishad Md. Nurul Huda, journalists, representatives of other organizations, and youth leaders were present at the time.
The welcoming speech at the advocacy was delivered by Shyamal Kumar Biswas, CEO of Cido. The project activities and program goals were presented by the project coordinator Md. Tahiduzzaman (Tahid).
Speakers at the meeting said that Satkhira is one of the most climate-vulnerable districts in the southwestern region of Bangladesh. Due to the impact of climate change, excessive rainfall, cyclones, tidal surges, reduced navigability of rivers and canals, and unplanned urbanization, waterlogging has become a chronic problem in Satkhira Municipality. During the monsoon season, even a little rain causes waterlogging of various roads, residential areas, educational institutions, markets, government and private offices, and healthcare centers in the city. This severely disrupts public life and causes extreme suffering to the citizens.
One of the reasons for waterlogging is the encroachment of natural canals and water bodies, unplanned drainage system, dumping of solid waste in drains, lack of regular cleaning and maintenance, and not taking the issue of water drainage properly into consideration while implementing various development projects. In addition, the problem has remained unresolved for a long time due to lack of coordination between the various departments concerned. The organizing representative said that the objective of the advocacy was to adopt a coordinated action plan among the relevant government-private organizations and stakeholders to resolve waterlogging in Satkhira Municipality and play a role in its effective implementation. To create a coordinated understanding among all the parties concerned about the current status, causes and effects of waterlogging in Satkhira Municipality. To ensure coordination and accountability of the relevant departments for formulating and implementing short, medium and long-term plans to resolve waterlogging. To take joint initiatives for sustainable waterlogging management through the active participation of civil society, media, women, youth and communities.
Regarding what the relevant authorities should do to resolve waterlogging, the guests said that they should identify the waterlogged areas of Satkhira Municipality and adopt a solution plan on a priority basis.
Among the proposals that came up in the discussion meeting, the Satkhira municipal area should be completely brought into the drainage network and connected to the Pransayer canal for water drainage.
Fish enclosures within municipal areas must be closed. In addition, in case of fish enclosures in other areas, it must be mandatory to have an out-drain for water drainage.
To drain water before the monsoon season, canals, rivers, and streams throughout the district must be cleared of encroachment and nets and illegal dams must be removed.
The useless sluice gates must be made operational and preparations must be made for water drainage during the rainy season.
Initiatives must be taken to restore the normal flow of tides in the Betna and Morichchap rivers.
Inter-river connections, especially Ichamati, Morichchap, Kholpetua, Betna, Shalikha and Kapotaksha, should be brought under excavation and water flow should be restored according to traditional methods.
The development projects undertaken must be environmentally friendly and climate resilient.
Since the implementation of grand plans like digging rivers and canals to eliminate waterlogging is a time-consuming matter, the people expect that the drainage system in the Satkhira municipal area will be developed on an urgent basis and the surrounding embankments will be demolished to open the way for water drainage.
