Teesta river erodes houses, cropland in Gaibandha
Roving Correspondent | Monday, 16 September 2019
GAIBANDHA, Sept 15: Erosion by the Teesta river has already engulfed over 500 dwelling houses and around 700 acres of cropland in Sundarganj upazila in the district.
Some 5.0 km long village protection embankment have been damaged seriously, causing untold suffering for thousands of people of Tarapur, Benka, Haripur, Chandipur, Sripur and Kapasia unions.
The inhabitants of Sripur and Kapasia union councils are the worst sufferers. The people of the unions are passing anxious time round the clock as it may take more serious turn any time.
Teesta water has started entering to the villages, inundating the fields full of of T-Aman rice, early winter vegetables and Aus paddy.
Executive engineer of Gaibandha Water Development Board (WDB) Muklesur Rahman said some 3.0 km long embankment has damaged due to river erosion. Moreover, some 2.0 km dam of the district has damaged severely, causing serious problem for riverside people, he added.
The authority concerned has already sent letters seeking adequate fund as a project for repairing damages including other upazilas of the district. After getting fund, they could take stepsto repair the embankment.
Farmer Josim Uddin at Sripur union said, he cultivated T-Aman rice on 40 decimals of land nearby the embankment aiming to get some 30 maunds of yield this season. The erosion has dashed his hopes completely, he added.
Kapasia union council chairman Md Jalal Uddin said if the authority concerned does not take immediate step in this connection, a vast tract of cropland will go under river water.
Upazila Nirbahi Officer Solaiman Ali said to protect the embankment, sand-filled bags have already been placed in the area. A monitoring cell is working in affected unions round the clock.