UNB, Laxmipur :
Erosion by the Meghna River continues to take its toll more grimly both on properties and lives in Laxmipur, with the monsoon yet to set out.
The erosion onslaughts have kept lives of several thousand people vulnerable in two upazilas of the district.
The mighty Meghna has already engulfed 37 kilometres of the 96 kilometre flood protection embankment covering the two upazilas-
Ramgati and Kamalnagar.
Besides, erosion is playing its havoc threatening the existence of some establishments, including Ramgati Upazila Parishad complex, the upazila health complex, Alexandar Bazar, different schools, colleges, private institutions and putting dwelling houses and cropland at risk.
Locals, including students, of the two upazilas have been holding different progammes pressing for demand to ease their sufferings caused by the Meghna erosion. They often formed human chains and submitted memoranda to the authorities seeing early remedy for their woes, but of no avail.
Meanwhile, the river erosion has extended its grip over a 10-killometre area anew in Kamalnagar upazila, including Saheberhat, Patwarirhat, Charfalkaom, Matabborhat, Ladhua and Taltoli.
Almost half the area of the two upazilas went into the gorge of the river in the last 10 years, forcing the residents to lead a miserable life.
Locals said several thousand people have been rendered homeless by the erosion during the time; yet no steps have been taken from the government side to check the menace.
If the erosion continues like this, many government and private establishments in Kamalnagar upazila will go into the gorge of the river within a short time, they feared. They also demanded immediate effective measures for preventing river erosion and rehabilitation of the affected people who lost their homesteads in the disaster.
Yaar Ali, executive engineer of Laxmipur Water Development Board, said construction work of a 5.5 kilometre dam involving Tk 169 crore and repair work of a 220 metre dam were underway.
After completion of the project works, people’s suffering for the river erosion might be eased remarkably, he expected.
Erosion by the Meghna River continues to take its toll more grimly both on properties and lives in Laxmipur, with the monsoon yet to set out.
The erosion onslaughts have kept lives of several thousand people vulnerable in two upazilas of the district.
The mighty Meghna has already engulfed 37 kilometres of the 96 kilometre flood protection embankment covering the two upazilas-
Ramgati and Kamalnagar.
Besides, erosion is playing its havoc threatening the existence of some establishments, including Ramgati Upazila Parishad complex, the upazila health complex, Alexandar Bazar, different schools, colleges, private institutions and putting dwelling houses and cropland at risk.
Locals, including students, of the two upazilas have been holding different progammes pressing for demand to ease their sufferings caused by the Meghna erosion. They often formed human chains and submitted memoranda to the authorities seeing early remedy for their woes, but of no avail.
Meanwhile, the river erosion has extended its grip over a 10-killometre area anew in Kamalnagar upazila, including Saheberhat, Patwarirhat, Charfalkaom, Matabborhat, Ladhua and Taltoli.
Almost half the area of the two upazilas went into the gorge of the river in the last 10 years, forcing the residents to lead a miserable life.
Locals said several thousand people have been rendered homeless by the erosion during the time; yet no steps have been taken from the government side to check the menace.
If the erosion continues like this, many government and private establishments in Kamalnagar upazila will go into the gorge of the river within a short time, they feared. They also demanded immediate effective measures for preventing river erosion and rehabilitation of the affected people who lost their homesteads in the disaster.
Yaar Ali, executive engineer of Laxmipur Water Development Board, said construction work of a 5.5 kilometre dam involving Tk 169 crore and repair work of a 220 metre dam were underway.
After completion of the project works, people’s suffering for the river erosion might be eased remarkably, he expected.
