Erosion in C'nawabganj makes 100 families homeless
Over 250 acres of farmland devoured in a month
People look on bleakly as the Padma continues to devour areas in Chandranarayanpur village in Chapainawabganj Sadar upazila. Serious erosion by the river has recently forced many people at different villages in the upazila to move to safer places. Photo: STAR
Over 100 families have become homeless in different villages of Sadar upazila due to erosion by the Padma. Locals said the erosion affected the families of Chandranarayanpur, Alimnagar, Monnapara, Delpara, Chhuchkipara, Bakhorali, Maharajnagar villages under Charbagdanga, Sundarpur and Narayanpur unions in last one month. They said over 250 acres of farmland and a huge number of mango orchards and bamboo clusters went into the gorge of river Padma. People are trying to shift their houses from these areas as the river is devouring fresh areas every day, locals said. Several hundred structures and establishments including school, madrasa, mosque, a union health sub-centre, a flood centre, a BDR border outpost and mango orchards are facing the threat of erosion by the river. While visiting different affected areas including Chandranarayanpur, Alimnagar, Bakhorali and Monnapara villages, this correspondent found many families moving to safer places with their belongings. Suyob Ali, 60, of Alimnagar, and Alfajuddin, 45, Shahjahan Ali, 60 of Chandranarayanpur, were among those who have shifted their houses recently. "We have shifted our houses several times in last 5/7 years," said Ertaj Ali, 51, of Suryanarayanpur village. Locals said the erosion could have been averted if the authorities concerned started work of the embankment in time. "Due to the erosion, we lost our homes. We are now living under the open sky but no one comes to help us," said a victim of river erosion. Sadruzzaman, chairman of Sundarpur UP, urged the authorities concerned to take steps immediately to protect thousands of people and huge properties including vast cropland, a good number of establishment and flood protection embankment from erosion. Nazrul Islam, a resident of Maharajnagar village and also a former member of Sundarpur UP, said the Water Development Board (WDB) has started work by putting some sand bags and blocks in the river when erosion took a serious turn in their locality. When contacted, Khalilur Rahman, executive engineer of Chapainawabganj Water and Development Board, told The Daily Star that they have submitted a project proposal to protect the area from erosion but the higher authorities are yet to approve it.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel.
Comments