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Unseasonal Meghna erosion goes unabated

Two villages at Kamalnagar set to be eroded

Published : Wednesday, 31 March, 2021 at 12:00 AM  Count : 671

The erosion by the Meghna River at Kamalnagar.	photo: observer

The erosion by the Meghna River at Kamalnagar. photo: observer

KAMALNAGAR, LAXMIPUR, Mar 30:  The Meghna River erosion in Kamalnagar Upazila of the district is continuing unabated.
Two villages, Char Falcon and Dakkhin Char Falcon, of the upazila are set to be eroded.
This dry season three government primary schools, one bazaar, and major portions of these two villages have already been eroded; numerous families have been houseless.
These families demanded quick approval of a project and allocation for Water Development Board (WDB) to check the erosion.
Locals said, the erosion is taking place in the dry season as that of the rainy season.
Char Falcon Government Primary School, Ludhua Falcon Fayzunnahar Government Primary School, Char Jagabandhu Munsipara Government Primary School, and Ludhua Bagharhat, many houses, mosques, croplands, and roads have been embedded.
Char Falcon and Dakkhin Char Falcon villages are located in the western end of Char Falcon and Patarirhat unions of the upazila. These two unions came under erosion threat in 1970. Since then the erosion has been continuing.
During the 50 years of the continuous erosion, seven villages in Char Falcon Union's Char Kotoria, Char Krishnapur, Matabbarchar and Patarchar, and Patarirhat Union's Urirchar, Pachim Char Falcon, and DS Falcon have been completely eroded; and two-third portions of Char Falcon and Dakkhin Char Falcon villages were eroded.
Under Char Falcon Union, Ward No.-9 has been eroded completely; Ward No.-8, 7 and 3 were eroded partially; and Ward No.-1 and 9 of Patarirhat Union got devoured fully; and most parts of Ward No. 2, 7, and 8 were embedded.
As a result, around 20,000 people of these villages have been destitute. Most of them are now living in different areas of neighbouring Noakhakhali District Sadar, Subarnachar, Laxmipur Sadar, and Char Kadera of Kamalnagar Upazila; they have raised temporary houses in these localities; the remaining eroded families took shelter on WDB's embankment. Most of these families are passing days in hardship.
So far, since 1970, of these villages, around 8,000 acres of croplands, seven public and private educational institutions, cyclone Ashrayan centres, Ashrayan Kendro colony,  WDB's several kilometres (KM of embankment, pucca and semi-pucca roads, numerous mosques, different installations and haats-bazaars were devoured by the Meghna.
Erosion protection measures were taken for more than one time either by locals or by the government. But these did not work sustainably.
In 2009, a project was approved during the first regime of Awami League (AL)-led Mahajote to protect Ramgati and Kamalnagar from the Meghna erosion; it was initiated by AL leader Advocate Mahbubur Rahman.
Under the project, a total of Tk 198 crore was allocated by the Economic Committee of National  Executive Council (ECNEC) in 2014; later, more Tk 47 crore was allocated in different phases.
By the first allocated money, block dam was raised in 1.2 km at Matabbarhat area of Kamalnagar Upazila, and in five km of Ramgati Upazila.
But 12km stretches in Char Falcon and Pachim Char Falcon remained unprotected. During the rainy seasons in 2019 and 2020, sand bags were dumped in Char Falcon and Pachim Char Falcon at a cost of about Tk 7.50 crore for the time being to check erosion. But these were washed away by severe erosion.
At present, WDB cannot take any protection measure as allocation for the second phase has not been granted.
Locals said, if protection measures are not taken to raise dam before the next rainy season, the two villages are feared to be eroded completely.
An erosion victim at Char Falcon area  Abul Khair said, their several acres of land were eroded in the last few years; at present, their houses are at erosion threats.
"I want nothing from Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina but only protection from river erosion, "he said.
Head Teacher of Ludhua Falcon Fayzunnahar Government Primary School Abdul Karim said, in 2016, the school was shifted to Ward No.-2 of Patarirhat from Ward No.-1 of the same union to protect it from erosion; but after four years the school was embedded few months back.
There has been no decision about re-setting the school in other place. With this, future life of the students has been uncertain, he added.
Chairman of Char Falcon Union Haji Harunur Rashid said, the Meghna erosion has been continuing for the last several years; Ward No. 9 was devoured in the end of 2019; three more wards are under the threat.
He mentioned, Char Falcon Government Primary School has been shifted to Ayubnagar. He demanded necessary measure for the erosion protection.
Chairman of Patarirhat Union and General Secretary of  Kamalnagar Upazila Awami League Advocate AKM Nurul Amin Razu said, after approving the project in 2014, locals had dreamed to continue living on their forefathers' houses; but only 1.25km was embanked in Saheberhat area under the first phase; but many are in fear as the second work has not begun.
WBD's Executive Engineer in Laxmipur Md Faruk Ahmed said, a new DPP of the second phase has been prepared to protect Meghna's banks in Kamalnagar and Ramgati upazilas.
The proposal is now lying in the planning ministry, he informed; if it is approved initiative will be taken to make sustainable dam, he added.
Local MP Major (Rtd) Abdul Mannan said, he tried to resist erosion by raising dam at personal financing; but it did not make success.
The work is going on to approve the second phase. "I am hoping the project will be approved in the ECNEC," he added.










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