Rangamati Correspondent :
Navigation in the Kaptai Lake touching three districts of Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHTs) is being hampered severely due to excessive growth and spread of water hyacinths.
But, no concerned quarter is taking any steps to ease the apparent public nuisance which has affected the life of about 15 lakh people in the region.
The water hyacinth has been hampering biodiversity of the region to certain extent occupying the largest manmade lake in south-east Asia which was created in 1961 following construction of the Karnafuli Hydro Station (KHS), the lone hydroelectricity plant of Bangladesh Power Development Board. The lake covers 46,000 hectares during the dry season and 66,600 hectares in the winter.
But, no concerned quarter is taking any steps to ease the apparent public nuisance which has affected the life of about 15 lakh people in the region.
Kader Miah, 35, a boatman with a five-member family, said he is workless for the last three months due to the stagnancy of the lake water by water hyacinths.
The initiative to solve the problem by concerned authorities is yet to be noticed, said General Secretary of Watercraft Owners’ Association in Rangamati Mainuddin Selim.
Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) here Ramoni Kanti Chakma said a huge amount of money and a lot of time are needed to solve the problem. Besides, he opined for an initiative involving government and private agencies to turn the water hyacinths into organic fertiliser.
Deputy Commissioner of Rangamati Md. Shamshul Arefin told that they are trying to solve the problem and, in the meantime, local administration informed the matter to higher level.
The matter was also discussed at the Rangamati District Development Coordination meeting which was held at Rangamati HDC conference room in the last month.
Navigation in the Kaptai Lake touching three districts of Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHTs) is being hampered severely due to excessive growth and spread of water hyacinths.
But, no concerned quarter is taking any steps to ease the apparent public nuisance which has affected the life of about 15 lakh people in the region.
The water hyacinth has been hampering biodiversity of the region to certain extent occupying the largest manmade lake in south-east Asia which was created in 1961 following construction of the Karnafuli Hydro Station (KHS), the lone hydroelectricity plant of Bangladesh Power Development Board. The lake covers 46,000 hectares during the dry season and 66,600 hectares in the winter.
But, no concerned quarter is taking any steps to ease the apparent public nuisance which has affected the life of about 15 lakh people in the region.
Kader Miah, 35, a boatman with a five-member family, said he is workless for the last three months due to the stagnancy of the lake water by water hyacinths.
The initiative to solve the problem by concerned authorities is yet to be noticed, said General Secretary of Watercraft Owners’ Association in Rangamati Mainuddin Selim.
Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) here Ramoni Kanti Chakma said a huge amount of money and a lot of time are needed to solve the problem. Besides, he opined for an initiative involving government and private agencies to turn the water hyacinths into organic fertiliser.
Deputy Commissioner of Rangamati Md. Shamshul Arefin told that they are trying to solve the problem and, in the meantime, local administration informed the matter to higher level.
The matter was also discussed at the Rangamati District Development Coordination meeting which was held at Rangamati HDC conference room in the last month.
