Rains devastate life

Chittagong Bureau :
The heavy downpour for the last three days since Thursday afternoon submerged most of the low-lying areas of the port city in knee-deep to waist-deep water, causing the civic life of the city dwellers almost paralysed.
Meanwhile, a construction worker was killed and three others were injured in the port city in a wall collapse triggered by excessive rainfall that also submerged many more new areas on Saturday.
The civic life of the port city is almost totally paralysed for the last two days due to heavy downpour. Many roads and houses went under knee-deep water due to excessive rainfall, resulting immense sufferings to the people living in those areas. The slum houses in the low lying areas and most of the fish cultivation hatcheries were washed away with the flash flood.
Meanwhile, the district administration and police have already launched joint eviction drive against the illegal dwellers living beside the hills and hill slopes following the incessant rain in Chittagong and its outskirts. Chittagong City Corporation also joined the drive to evict people living on dangerous hill areas.
Witnesses said, stagnant rain water accumulated inplaces but many of them did not move.
The district administration will be compelled to evict them from the risky hill-pockets and send them to other safe places, he added.
Assistant Police commissioner of Panchalaish zone Dipak Khisa said they launched eviction drive on Saturday morning from Matijharna hill and Batali hills areas. More than hundred police forces joined the eviction drive led by district administration.
An eviction team led by district executive magistrate has also joined the eviction drive in Baizid thana, Akbar Shah Bazar, Railway Housing Society Hills, Shapla Hills and Pahartali Biswha Colony Hills areas.
Additional Deputy Police Commissioner (North) Md. Shahidullah said apprehending any untoward incident in the hilly areas due to heavy downpour, the district administration is removing the illegal dwellers to safely places and this eviction drive will continue till the total eviction of 11 earmarked hills in the city.
Witnesses said, these illegal risky hillside dwellers are not willing to leave their shanties leaving their belongings. They said the evicted families will again return to their hill slums in the night after the law enforcers leave the place.
Sources said most of the illegal installations beside the hills are being demolished by bulldozers during the eviction drive.
It is to be noted that as many as 127 people were killed in six back-to-back landslides in Chittagong after torrential rain on June 11, 2007. Since then, the city authorities are keen to relocate those living on the landslide prone zones.