A Correspondent, Rajshahi :
With the recession of water level, erosion by the mighty river Padma has taken serious turn at different points in Rajshahi district turning many people into homeless and helpless.
Meanwhile, eight thousands of homesteads, important establishments and vast track of croplands in the area have been devoured by the river Padma in the last five years due to lack of proper maintenance by the authorities concerned of Water Development Board (WDB), while around 500 more homesteads, several installations and vast track of lands are now under threat of erosion. These may experience severe breaches by the river Padma due to heavy pressure of strong current, if the necessary measures are not taken up by the authorities concerned of WDB during the dry season, locals claimed.
“To protect the city and its around 10 lakh dwellers from the severe erosion by the river Padma, Rajshahi Rakkha Sangram Parishad has been staging several demonstrations including rally, procession and human chain in the city for the long time, but to no effect so far,” said Jamat Khan, General Secretary of Rajshahi Rakkha Songram Parishad.
He further said that, the mighty river Padma had been flowed about five Km away from the main city five years ago. But now, the river is flowing over several parts of the city including Shreerampur, Bulonpur, Khidirpur, Charkhidirpur and Khanpur.
Many homesteads, vast track of lands and important installations including Khanpur BGB camp and Khidirpur Primary school have already damaged by the erosion in the last few years, while many other installations including Charghat Cadet College are now under threat of erosion due to lack of proper maintenance by the authorities concerned of WDB.
WDB official sources said that, Khanpur BGB camp and Khidirpur Primary school were shifted to elsewhere last year. Similarly, severe erosion hit the Bulonpur area. During the period, WDB spent around Tk 1.65 crore from its emergency fund to protect the groin dams in the area. Due to the instant steps by the then officials of WDB, a graveyard and many homesteads of Zia Nagor area were also saved.
Meanwhile the river has crossed the T-groin area and damaged the groin no-3 and 5 of Shreerampur and 2B spar at Bulonpur area. In the meantime, the city dwellers are apprehending that, they will suffer hardship, if the damaged installations are not renovated soon.
While talking, Fazlul Haque, 60, of Bulonpur village in the city said that, they are now passing their days and nights in fear of erosion. They are apprehending that, the onslaught of erosion by the river Padma may turn them homeless and distress in the upcoming rainy season, if the necessary initiatives to protect the area are not taken up in the dry season. For this reason, the government should renovate all the important installations including flood control embankment, groin dams and spars in the area.
Md. Nowsher Ali, a renowned freedom fighter told newsmen that, Rajshahi city and its neighboring areas are now under threat of erosion by the Padma river. The city dwellers may be faced dire consequences, if any part of flood control embankment near Bulonpur area collapses due to pressure of strong current.
With the recession of water level, erosion by the mighty river Padma has taken serious turn at different points in Rajshahi district turning many people into homeless and helpless.
Meanwhile, eight thousands of homesteads, important establishments and vast track of croplands in the area have been devoured by the river Padma in the last five years due to lack of proper maintenance by the authorities concerned of Water Development Board (WDB), while around 500 more homesteads, several installations and vast track of lands are now under threat of erosion. These may experience severe breaches by the river Padma due to heavy pressure of strong current, if the necessary measures are not taken up by the authorities concerned of WDB during the dry season, locals claimed.
“To protect the city and its around 10 lakh dwellers from the severe erosion by the river Padma, Rajshahi Rakkha Sangram Parishad has been staging several demonstrations including rally, procession and human chain in the city for the long time, but to no effect so far,” said Jamat Khan, General Secretary of Rajshahi Rakkha Songram Parishad.
He further said that, the mighty river Padma had been flowed about five Km away from the main city five years ago. But now, the river is flowing over several parts of the city including Shreerampur, Bulonpur, Khidirpur, Charkhidirpur and Khanpur.
Many homesteads, vast track of lands and important installations including Khanpur BGB camp and Khidirpur Primary school have already damaged by the erosion in the last few years, while many other installations including Charghat Cadet College are now under threat of erosion due to lack of proper maintenance by the authorities concerned of WDB.
WDB official sources said that, Khanpur BGB camp and Khidirpur Primary school were shifted to elsewhere last year. Similarly, severe erosion hit the Bulonpur area. During the period, WDB spent around Tk 1.65 crore from its emergency fund to protect the groin dams in the area. Due to the instant steps by the then officials of WDB, a graveyard and many homesteads of Zia Nagor area were also saved.
Meanwhile the river has crossed the T-groin area and damaged the groin no-3 and 5 of Shreerampur and 2B spar at Bulonpur area. In the meantime, the city dwellers are apprehending that, they will suffer hardship, if the damaged installations are not renovated soon.
While talking, Fazlul Haque, 60, of Bulonpur village in the city said that, they are now passing their days and nights in fear of erosion. They are apprehending that, the onslaught of erosion by the river Padma may turn them homeless and distress in the upcoming rainy season, if the necessary initiatives to protect the area are not taken up in the dry season. For this reason, the government should renovate all the important installations including flood control embankment, groin dams and spars in the area.
Md. Nowsher Ali, a renowned freedom fighter told newsmen that, Rajshahi city and its neighboring areas are now under threat of erosion by the Padma river. The city dwellers may be faced dire consequences, if any part of flood control embankment near Bulonpur area collapses due to pressure of strong current.
