Staff Reporter, Kishoreganj :
The 35-kilometer Itna-Mitamoion-Austagram road connecting three inaccessible Upazilas of Kishoreganj district has been damaged due to the rats making holes. The road title wonder of Haor has been constructed at a cost of around Tk.900 Crore.
The haor area of Kishoreganj is a unique place of natural beauty as well as biodiversity and this road has increased the beauty of the haor many times. However, there are concerns about the safety of this all weather road. Rats are making holes in the road defense wall. The issue has created concern among local residents
The road was made much higher than usual due to the haor area and low land. But due to the infestation of rats, there is a danger that its foundation will be weakened. An UP chairman of Ashtagram has taken up a program to kill rats in his area on his own initiative. He is giving cash rewards to people for killing rats. There has been quite a response. His initiative must be applauded. But what will happen to the other unions on which the road has fallen. On the other hand, if people start killing rats by poisoning for the sake of reward, it can again cause loss of fish and biodiversity in the haor.
There are a lot of rats in the haor areas and they take shelter in the rainy season. This time they have taken refuge on the road to Alweida. According to Agricultural Extension Department (AED),5 per cent of the boro paddy produced and 15 per cent of the aus goes to rats. However, the locals are not able to accept the loss of the crop even if they accept the loss of the crop.
Later, the construction of the road, all the paddy of the haor was dried on it. As a result, rats have made the road the main refuge in the greed for food. That must be prevented.
The Roads and Highways Department (RHD) is the responsible authority for its maintenance. Although the local administration has expressed concern, the RSA has no idea about this. Rouge district officials do not yet know how much damage was done to the road due to rat infestation.
Apart from this, there are complaints that the agriculture department has specific programs to reduce the infestation of rats, but they have not been implemented and the allocation for this has been reduced to nine. Therefore, it is important to take concerted efforts and steps to protect this huge installation in the Haor region. Experts can be consulted if necessary. People urged the authority to take immediate action before this development of the government goes to the ‘rat’s stomach’.
