Barisal Correspondent :Local people have started voluntary activities to construct an embankment for checking Kirtankhola River erosion at Charbaria point as sustainable government initiatives yet to be taken to save them.Zahiruddin Ahmed, Executive Engineer Water Development Board, Barisal office, hailing the people-initiatives to check river erosion said that it will make inspire and aware us about the risks of erosion.Rapidly advancing Kirtankhola River erosion endangered surface water treatment plant, ferry ghat, ice factory, shipyard at Beltala, Singherkathi, and Taltali-Lamchhari road under Charbaria union of Barisal city skirt area of the city.The people-initiatives were taken after WDB except placing some geo-bags failed to take any other steps to check erosion at this point, said Yunus Mia of Sardar Bari at Charbaria area.Yunus Mia organised the initiative with the help of Sarfuddin, Anwar Mia, Suruj Hossain, Miraj, Ejaj and other local people of Lamchhari.They cutting bamboos, trees from their gardens and plantations and piling those at erosion-points trying to create a fence to prevent washing away the sand, mud geo-bags by the river current for making an embankment, visiting the spot the journalists saw.Suruj Mia, one of the volunteers of the effort , we trying our best to save ourselves from eroding away by using our limited capabilities.River erosion situation became grievous in at least 26 points on the banks of the rivers Kirtankhola, Meghna, Arial Kha, Sandhya, Sugandha, Tentulia, and Karkana under greater Barisal district.Different establishments like roads, crop lands, residential houses, educational and religious institutions, shops and markets, ferry stations eroding away every day.Zahiruddin Ahmed, Executive Engineer, WDB . Barisal office said only Tk 3 cores sanctioned after submitting two proposals worth Tk. 46 core to protect river erosion in 4600 meters area of Kirtankhola River on Charbaria and Charkawa points.Besides, Tk.30 lakhs sanctioned on emergency basis against proposals of Tk 60 lakhs to pile geo-bags at the erosion points, the WDB official said. However he hailing the voluntary efforts of local people at Charbaria to construct embankment said although it may not give any sustainable result against checking speedy river erosion, but it will inspire and aware others about needs to prevent the danger.Saidur Rahman Rintu, Barisal Sadar upazila chairman, said pressure of the down stream river water makes situation worst. Implementation of a long term sustainable river management policy needed to control erosion.
