CC blocks coming off from island's embankment

TAHJIBUL ANAM

COX'S BAZAR, Oct 30: Existence of several hundred structures is at risk as the CC blocks are coming off from the island's embankment at Shahparir Dwip in Teknaf upazila of Cox's Bazar district.

Tidal water is entering the locality after overflowing the cc blocks of the embankment, leaving around 50,000 people in fear.

Locals said if the sea becomes rough in adverse weather condition, tide will hit the embankment directly.

Besides, during the full moon, the height of the wave increases and the tidal water reaches a height of 10 to 12 feet and scratches over the embankment.

At least 20 places in the embankment are in danger due to the CC blocks falling off.

During a visit on Sunday afternoon, the correspondent saw that the CC blocks installed on the western side of the embankment were falling apart under the impact of tidal water and big waves.

There prevails an apprehension that several hundred people's houses, shops and various other structures will sink under the sea if the embankment breaches being hit by a large cyclone or tidal waves.

There are about 50,000 people's houses near the embankment and at present the residents are in deep anxiety about their survival.

It was seen that at least 25 to 30 cc blocks on the embankment slopes and more than 20 more downstream sections have moved.

Entire Shahparir Dwip will be at risk once again if the mud dam breaks due to the tide waves.

Residents of the western part of the island said that water level has increased from 10 to 12 feet due to the full moon tide from the night of October 17.

Big waves of the sea are coming and hitting the embankment. In some parts, the sea water is overflowing the embankment and entering the locality. This tidal effects of full moon lasted for 10 to 12 days.

It is apprehended, if a major cyclone occurs in the sea, the situation may become more complicated. The embankment may then burst. Because of this, there constantly prevails a fear among the people of the island.

Jahed Hossain, president of Shahparir Dwip Protection and Development Committee, said that Shahparir Dwip , one of the places for fishing, has now become a town of fear.

In 1991, a catastrophic cyclone broke the 1 kilometer embankment on the western side of the island. The Water Development Board spent Tk3.0 billion (Tk300 crore) in 10 years to build the broken dam- which was not possible because of corruption.

Due to high tide that time, shrimp enclosures on around 10,000 acres of land and huge agricultural land in Shahparir Dwip disappeared into the sea.

At least 4,000 houses and a few mosques and madrasas were destroyed.

People of the island are in a state of panic due to collapse of the CC blocks of the embankment which was built two years ago at a cost of Tk 1.51 billion (Tk 151 crore).

Abdul Mannan, a local UP member, said that the construction of the embankment was sustainable at the beginning.

But in the Dakshinpara part where the sea intrusion is more, the structure of the dam has weakened due to hasty completion of the work.

The CC blocks of the defenses on the western (seaside) side of the embankment were not installed properly. That is why the blocks are collapsing within a year. Mr Mannan thinks that there is a danger of the entire dam disappearing during the monsoon season.

Asif Ahmed, executive engineer of Water Development Board, Cox's Bazar, said that repair work will start in those places where CC blocks have moved away and got damaged. Hopefully this work will start in December.

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