Buriganga erosion

The bank-denuding fury of the river is put down to an interference with its course. Reports say that the natural flow has been obstructed by encroachments at three points. Brick kilns have been built in those places and sand quarrying is going in an unplanned manner. In other words, the river has become a happy hunting ground for some unscrupulous people. And it is not clear what the law enforcers have been doing to stop the illegal businesses.

There is no doubt that the whole crisis is man-made and the elements responsible for it can be charged with not only encroaching upon a river but also with causing incalculable damage to people.

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The disaster was an avoidable one and the officials of the BIWTA and the district administration knew that the encroachments had to be removed, and they even promised to the villages that necessary action would follow. But nothing was done and people have paid dearly for the official lapse. Shouldn't the relevant government agencies therefore be held responsible for the disaster? The victims have every right to know why the issue was neglected.

The fury that the Buriganga unleashed on a village is proof that tinkering with the natural flow of a river can have multiple negative effects. While the river may get polluted, the danger of erosion and flooding also increases considerably, particularly when unplanned sand quarrying takes place. The government better respond to the call for saving the river and take stern action against encroachers immediately. The river must be allowed to flow naturally without any obstruction.