Due to river erosion, houses including geobags-applied areas are going under water in Sirajgang and losing all the assets, hundreds of people living in the areas near the river are struggling for their survival.
Many of them are living in the open spaces under the sky and none is coming forward to rescue them.
The river-erosion victims complained that the river-bank areas had suffered erosion because of the negligence of the contractors and lack of supervision from Water Development Board despite having government allocation of more than Tk 600 crore to save 6 kilometers area from Enayetpur to Pachil from the erosion.
They urged the authorities concerned to take proper initiatives including geobags dumping with a view to save the total area.
Sultan Mahmud, chairman of Jalalpur union said to stop the erosion building permanent dams is needed on emergency basis; otherwise a few villages will be under the water.
Executive engineer of Sirajganj Water development Boar, Md Shafiqui Islam said, about Tk 600 crore project to build permanent dams for preventing river-erosion in six kilometer area of Enayetpur has been approved. But, due to the rise in water level, the construction work hasn’t started yet. Geobags have been applied in some specified areas, but around one kilometer area of three to four points went under the water along with the geobags. However, more geobags are to be applied to those areas where the intensity of erosion is higher.
In addition, the trajectory of the river in Jalalpur area will be altered by dredging when water level is low, along with the construction of a crossbar and permanent dams of CC block to prevent the erosion.
Heavy erosion was started at Jalalpur and Pakurtala points of Jamuna River on Friday morning. Earlier, in the two areas, some houses are also got swallowed by river. Last week, at least 34 houses of ‘Shelter Project’ along with more than 50 houses, cultivable land, educational and religious establishments were also went under water.
Upazila Nirbahi Officer of Shahjadpur upazila, Mohammad Tariqul Silam said, 238 houses were built under residential and Gucchagram projects in fiscal year 2005-06, but the erosion of Jamuna caused 90 of those houses went under water.
150 houses and roads under threat due to Atrai-river erosion: Erosion of Atrai River threatened the existence of more than 150 houses and adjacent road of Chakinia village under Khansama union of Dinajpur. Almost 200 acres of cultivable land went under the water due to river erosion.
According to local people, two years ago during rainy season, Atrai River changed its trajectory and flown over the cultivable land and it went under water. Last year, in the same way, almost 100 acre of arable land faced the similar situation. This year, the erosion reached to the boundary of the houses built on the river-bank and threatened to sink them anytime.
Chairman of Vabki union parishad, Robiul Alam Tuhin said, I informed the authority about the matter and expect proper and prompt steps would be taken to prevent river erosion.
@The article appeared on print and online versions of The Bangladesh Pratidin on September 18, 2022 and rewritten in English by Lutful Hoque
