By Bohol Chronicle
Flooding besets the city's main thoroughfares during a sudden heavy downpour yesterday that broke months of dryness and warm temperature since January this year.
In just the first few minutes of the downpour the flooding already reached one to three inches high along Remolador St., Palma St., Ma. Clara St., the long stretch of CPG Avenue, B. Inting St., Borja St., Belderol St., H. Del Pilar St., and San Jose St., among others.
The first question that entered the minds of city residents during yesterday's heavy downpour: where is the wastewater treatment facility envisioned by City Mayor Dan Lim?
The drainage problem caught the limelight two years ago when Mayor Dan Lim made his own solution on the flooding along CPG North Ave., near the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) when he "illegally" opened the drainage outfall along the shorelines of Graham Ave., this city.
The decision of the mayor solved the flooding along the highway but shifted to a bigger environmental problem when the seawater off Tagbilaran Port registered countless of colonies of micro organism as found in laboratory tests both by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the University of San Carlos laboratory.
The issue on the drainage problem escalated to a near conflict between Mayor Lim and Gov. Erico Aumentado who expressed different opinion on the opening of the drainage outfall.
The mayor, during the absence of the governor who was out of the province, directed his men to demolish the block at corner San Jose and CPG Ave., thereby releasing the contaminated water coming from the illegal tapping of the various commercial and residential houses along CPG Ave., which the mayor declined to cut.
Earlier the mayor, during a conference with Gov. Aumentado said he will cut the illegal connections but only to find out later he negated from his public pronouncement.
The issue on the drainage problem started the conflict between the mayor and the Chronicle and DYRD after the media outfit stood by the public's stand to protect the environment.
With the mayor's belief that he will come out as "hero" in solving the flooding along CPG Ave., he opened the drainage outfall which was not the solution.
Then DENR Sec. Lito Atienza even dispatched his men to stop the illegal release of the sewerage coming from the drainage system along the city's main avenue.
WASTEWATER TREATMENT
The culprit behind the environmental issue was the failure of Mayor Dan Lim to fulfill his earlier commitment to DPWH regarding the construction of the wastewater treatment facility.
The drainage system along CPG Ave. which was requested by the city mayor was issued the approval by DPWH only after the Mayor Lim committed to construct the wastewater treatment facility.
Until today, the mayor has not come up with the said facility which he committed to DPWH authorities.
The mayor issued public pronouncement that he will build a modern wastewater treatment facility which he earlier said will be started.
However, until now, even the "shadow of his plan" could not be seen by the public.
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Topic: Flooding in Tagbilaran City, Bohol (Read 2983 times)