One year passes, 'Aila' victims still suffering
Tuesday, 25 May 2010
KHULNA, May 24 (BSS): Tuesday is May 25, on this day last year an unprecedented natural disaster 'Aila' devastated the South- Western region of the country causing deaths to hundreds of people and damaging a vast tract with unparallel ferocity.
Even after one year of the calamity, the people of greater Khulna and Satkhira districts could not return to normal life by overcoming their sufferings and helplessly they remember the day when nature's fury came down on them.
Over 100,000 Aila affected people of Koyra and Dacope upazilas in Khulna were not rehabilitated and leading sub-human life under the open sky. They do not have even access to safe water as the fresh water sources were damaged due intrusion of saline water during storm.
Chairman of Kamarkhola Union Parishad (UP) Samresh Chandra Roy and Chairman of Suterkhali Union Parishad (UP) Bidhu Narayan Sarder told the news agency that about 30,000 people are yet to return to their homes as reconstruction of damaged embankments is yet to be completed.
"About 27-kilometre embankment was completely and 35-kilometre partially damaged, seven closers were broken, many of the damaged educational institutions, roads, culverts were not reconstructed after one year of the disaster. Crop fields are still under the saline water. How the cyclone victims return to their villages where they have a little to do," they said.
They also regretted that the government has allocated only Tk 180 million (18 crore) for the rehabilitation of Aila affected people, which is a very small amount in comparison to the massive damage.
Sources said that about 80 per cent of the construction works of embankments, four closures out of seven were completed. Three other closures Jaliakhali, Goalbunia and Nalian canal are under construction, they said.
"The people of Kamarkhola and Shuterkhali unions will have to face trouble if the rest of the reconstruction of the embankments and closures were not completed before the rainy season," chairmen of the two unions said.
Koyra Upazila Chairman GM Mohsin Reza told that about 80,000 people have returned to their homes. Rest of the people are living on the roads and cyclone shelters.
He also said that the people of Koyra Sadar, Maharajpur, Baghali, Maheswaripur, Uttar Bedkashi and Dakkhin Bedkashi are the worst sufferers of the cyclone Aila.
Water is pouring in the affected areas through 49 points, he said adding that water is entering through Pobna, Padmapukur and Jorsing points from the Kopotakkha and Shakbaria rivers. People of the unions will continue to suffer if the reconstruction works is not completed before the rainy season.
Khulna district relief office sources said that the government had disbursed Tk 24 million as "Khoirati Aid" and Tk 66.5 million as house building grant. The government has distributed relief among the distressed people of six upazilas and one Pourasabha in the district.
The relief materials included 6,207 tonnes of rice, 5,150 pieces of sarees, 2,000 pieces of lungies, 4,200 pieces of jaricans, 725 tents and 10,000 litres of drinking water.
District relief officer BM Rafiul Islam told, 37,810 VGF card holders are getting 20 kg rice against each card every month since September last year.
Public Health Engineering Department (PHED) will run Safe Water Supply Programme (SWSP) in the Aila affected areas of Khulna and Satkhira. The programme will continue for 75 days from the day of receiving allocation of Tk 10 million from the government.
Even after one year of the calamity, the people of greater Khulna and Satkhira districts could not return to normal life by overcoming their sufferings and helplessly they remember the day when nature's fury came down on them.
Over 100,000 Aila affected people of Koyra and Dacope upazilas in Khulna were not rehabilitated and leading sub-human life under the open sky. They do not have even access to safe water as the fresh water sources were damaged due intrusion of saline water during storm.
Chairman of Kamarkhola Union Parishad (UP) Samresh Chandra Roy and Chairman of Suterkhali Union Parishad (UP) Bidhu Narayan Sarder told the news agency that about 30,000 people are yet to return to their homes as reconstruction of damaged embankments is yet to be completed.
"About 27-kilometre embankment was completely and 35-kilometre partially damaged, seven closers were broken, many of the damaged educational institutions, roads, culverts were not reconstructed after one year of the disaster. Crop fields are still under the saline water. How the cyclone victims return to their villages where they have a little to do," they said.
They also regretted that the government has allocated only Tk 180 million (18 crore) for the rehabilitation of Aila affected people, which is a very small amount in comparison to the massive damage.
Sources said that about 80 per cent of the construction works of embankments, four closures out of seven were completed. Three other closures Jaliakhali, Goalbunia and Nalian canal are under construction, they said.
"The people of Kamarkhola and Shuterkhali unions will have to face trouble if the rest of the reconstruction of the embankments and closures were not completed before the rainy season," chairmen of the two unions said.
Koyra Upazila Chairman GM Mohsin Reza told that about 80,000 people have returned to their homes. Rest of the people are living on the roads and cyclone shelters.
He also said that the people of Koyra Sadar, Maharajpur, Baghali, Maheswaripur, Uttar Bedkashi and Dakkhin Bedkashi are the worst sufferers of the cyclone Aila.
Water is pouring in the affected areas through 49 points, he said adding that water is entering through Pobna, Padmapukur and Jorsing points from the Kopotakkha and Shakbaria rivers. People of the unions will continue to suffer if the reconstruction works is not completed before the rainy season.
Khulna district relief office sources said that the government had disbursed Tk 24 million as "Khoirati Aid" and Tk 66.5 million as house building grant. The government has distributed relief among the distressed people of six upazilas and one Pourasabha in the district.
The relief materials included 6,207 tonnes of rice, 5,150 pieces of sarees, 2,000 pieces of lungies, 4,200 pieces of jaricans, 725 tents and 10,000 litres of drinking water.
District relief officer BM Rafiul Islam told, 37,810 VGF card holders are getting 20 kg rice against each card every month since September last year.
Public Health Engineering Department (PHED) will run Safe Water Supply Programme (SWSP) in the Aila affected areas of Khulna and Satkhira. The programme will continue for 75 days from the day of receiving allocation of Tk 10 million from the government.