Teesta erosion takes severe turn

LALMONIRHAT: With the recession of water, erosion by the Teesta river has taken a serious turn at many points of the district.

The erosion has taken a devastating turn at Chongadar village of Khuniagach union under sadar upazila of the district where more than 100 acres of cultivable land have gone into the riverbed.

Many farmers have lost their homesteads and croplands in last two months and now they are passing hard days losing everything.

Visiting the area on Friday morning it was seen that erosion is continuing. The villagers are helpless and they are shifting their valuables to other places as the river is entering their homestead very fast.

Abdur Rashid, a farmer of the village, said more than 60 farmers of the village have already lost their croplands to the river and now many of them have become street beggars. They have nothing to cultivate. They are now passing an uncertain life and have taken shelter on the flood protection dam.

Farmer Rashid said that he lost 30 bighas of cropland in recent erosion. Like him many farmers of the village have lost their arable land. In last few days 36 homesteads have been devoured by the river and the residents have shifted to other places.

Zahanara Bewya, 65, a widow of the village, said she is “very much worried” about her future as her all four bighas of cropland have been devoured by the river.

Abdur Rashid said water development board (WDB) dumped some Geo bags in one point but in vain. “Erosion is continuing faster as the water has started receding”. He demanded a permanent plan to protect the village, otherwise it will be lost to the river very soon.

According to PIO office sources, in the last two months nearly 900 homesteads were devoured by the Teesta and Dharla rivers in Hatibandha, Aditmari and Lalmonirhat sadar upazila.

Aminul Islam, chairman of Khuniagach, said erosion continues as water has started receding. He prepared a list of victim families and sent it to the deputy commissioner.

When asked, Executive Engineer Mijanur Rahman of WDB Lalmonirhat said, "We have dumped some Geo bags in that area. Though it requires more, we don't have enough fund to protect the erosion. We have written to the higher authority to allocate fund for permanent CC block and it will take time."

[email protected]