Unbearable traffic jams on important roads, digging in the roads throughout the year in the name of development, and mosquito infestation are creating havoc in Sylhet city. City dwellers are suffering constantly while dealing with these three problems. One after another initiatives and plans are taken, but nothing works.
In the name of development, various projects are implemented at the cost of thousands of crores of taka, but instead of solving the problem, rather the problem is increasing. Digging is going on throughout the year in the city, which is creating immense traffic congestion.
City dwellers suffer in the name of renovation and construction year after year. As a result, the traffic in the metropolis has increased to an alarming level. Moreover, the menace of mosquitoes has increased in Sylhet. The city dwellers have become fed up with this.
Digging has increased throughout the city of Sylhet. Holes are being made in the streets of the whole city one digging after another without renovation and piles of soil are being kept on the roads next to them. According to the sources of Sylhet City Corporation, the digging will continue until the next monsoon season. As a result, public suffering is going to be prolonged. The city is turning muddy in the rain and dusty in the sun due to the digging. City residents are at extreme health risk due to pollution.
Traffic congestion is increasing in Sylhet city due to this digging. Business has also been affected due to this. Along with the construction of roads, culverts, and drains, new digging for water pipelines has created obstructions on all roads. Sylhet City Corporation authorities say that these excavations are for the development of the city. This suffering have to be accepted for the sake of development.
However, the residents of the city complain that the work is being done in an unplanned manner. On top of that, even after all the arrangements made by the Sylhet City Corporation to kill mosquitoes, the mosquito infestation is not reducing in the city. Residents of the city have to suffer day and night equally due to mosquito breeding. People claim that due to the non-spraying of pesticides, blocked drains, and water accumulation in road holes, the breeding of mosquitoes is not decreasing.
The City Corporation is also expressing its helplessness in killing mosquitoes. Those concerned say that cleaning activities have to be carried out in the city throughout the year to avoid mosquito infestation. Especially during the breeding season of mosquitoes, the entire city should be sprayed with mosquito repellent every 10 days. If this medicine is sprinkled for two months, the breeding of mosquitoes will decrease. According to sources in the health wing of the city corporation, at least 150 workers are required to sprinkle medicine together in the 27 wards of the city corporation (excluding the extended new 12 wards).
But the city corporation has no manpower for this work. There are only two workers as of now. So it is never possible to spray the entire city at once. Even if you want to sprinkle medicine in a ward, you have to rely on outside day laborers. Inexperienced workers may not dispense the medicine properly.
Chief Health Officer of Sylhet City Corporation Dr Zahidul Islam said that the mosquito eradication program is ongoing. A mosquito extermination campaign is going on in some wards every day. A mosquito lays 30,000 eggs per day. So far this mosquito control program is going on in 19 wards. A mosquito eradication campaign will be conducted in every ward. Mosquito infestation increases due to unplanned construction of structures and buildings, widespread dumping of garbage, and entrapment of various wastes including polythene in drains, gutters, and canals.
He also said that the city corporation has a problem with spraying mosquito repellent. That is a manpower shortage. A person who sprinkles medicine in a fogger machine has to pay 500 to 600 Tk per day. Besides, it is not possible to get people to do these jobs. As a result, medicine was sprinkled in one ward and mosquitoes went to another ward to breed. So people should be aware of this.
Chief Engineer of Sylhet City Corporation Noor Azizur Rahman said, actually Sylhet City had water pipelines of the British period, and 20/25 years ago, they burst, and due to pipe leakage in different places, digging is being done for repair. Water pipelines burst in many places due to the pressure of heavy traffic on the roads inside the city. As a result, roads are dug up while repairing them. He said that such projects will continue till next December.
Sylhet Metropolitan Police Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (Media and Community Service) Sudeep Das said that since it is the month of Ramadan, people want to finish all the necessary work and return home before the afternoon. During this time the traffic pressure in the city increased. An additional police force has been deployed at points in the city to decongest traffic during the month of Ramadan. Besides, traders are selling Iftar items along the side streets of the city.
He said that the police evicted these traders every day and warned them, but later they sit back and do business, causing traffic jams on the roads.
