A Correspondent, Khulna :
A large portion of Khulna city protection dyke has gone into the river Bhairab. City dwellers are fearing that the dyke might completely go into the river by which Khulna city might be flooded at any moment.
Water development board (WDB) sources alleged that some influential traders have been grabbing city protection dyke and conducting their business. As a result, Khulna city protection embankment is facing severe threat, sourced added.
On a recent visit, this correspondent found that a large portion of the city protection embankment has already gone into the river Bhairab. More than 300 business structures went to the river.
“Khulna city protection dam might go down into the river basin and the city might be flooded by water of Bhairab River , said Sharif Shafiqul Hamid Chandon, President of Khulna Unnayan Forum.
Cortacted, Md. Mujibur Rahman, executive engineer (EX-EN) of Division – 2 of WDB told journalists that earlier in 2011 they applied to the higher authorities to allocate fund asking for Tk. 22 crore and 19 lakh. But the said fund was not yet got and the repair works are not possible to be implemented.
Executive Engineer further said. “Several times We sent proposal and asked for fund with a view to repair khulna city protection dyke and at last we sent a letter to the higher authorities on August 11, 2014. After getting approval of our proposals and fund by the ministry of finance, we will be able to start the repairing works”, he added.
WDB sources said, in fiscal 1993-94, building of Khulna city protection dyke with the financial aid of Asian Development Bank (ADB) under the secondary town integrated flood protection project. Under this project 3.5 kilometers dam building was made at 28/2 polder. Besides, setting up 6 regulators, erosion affected Khulna Jailkhana Ghat, Khulna general hospital ghat, IWTA Ghat, Rujvelt jetty, Ansar flour mill and 2.89 kilometers area of Government B.L. College were included in the project. Under the supervision of WDB the project was implemented in 1998.
WDB sources alleged that most of the traders built their constructions without abiding any rules and as such the city protection dyke is facing threat. Cracks developed in the main embankment and hospital ghat, Kalibari ghat and Delta ghat have already gone down to the river, sources added.
On condition of anonymity, an engineer of WDB said, most of the traders have built their houses without following any rules and by grabbing river side. For this reason Khulna city protection dyke is posing threat, he added.
S.M. Rahim, Mosaref, Mostofa, Sadhin, traders of Daulatpur Bazar urged to the concern authorities to repair the city dam within short time with a view to save lives and valuables.
