Haimchar riverbank protection dam under threat of erosion

CHANDPUR, Mar 22: Chandpur's Haimchar upazila riverbank protection dam has turned vulnerable due to strong waves in the mighty Meghna river.

Thousands of people living beside the riverbank are getting panicked and can't have sound sleep in fear of the riverbank erosion.

Many people have urged the water board authorities to start urgent repair work to approve the protection embankment. Social workers have also echoed the same panicky state due to the vulnerable sites in the dam.

They all have called upon the authorities concerned to start the repair work on the dam soon before the upcoming rainy season and stormy weather.

According to the BWDB, during the fiscal year 2010-2011, the government allocated Tk 1.27 billion (127 crore) for the repair project. The dam's area is 6.4 kilometres in length. Concrete cement blocks (two categories) were dumped to build the dam on the riverbank. Prior to it, boulder stones were dumped and sand-filled GEO bags were placed along the river bank level at the bottom and finally concrete cement blocks were placed on them.

In this way, the protection dam work was completed during the 2010-2011 fiscal year in the estimated area of the dam.

When contacted, Chandpur's BWDB executive engineer Jahirul Islam has told the FE, "This dam has now become old. We will undertake a `Rehabilitation Project for the River Protection Dam in Haimchar belt'' and place it before the ministry concerned."

Talking to the FE, UNO Haimchar Umme Salma Najnin Trisha has said, "At many places of the dam, due to waves, concrete cement blocks are displacing and rolling down the riverbed making the dam vulnerable."

"If timely steps are not taken, situation may turn serious. Thousands of riverside people are panicky and in constant threat of erosion of their land and homes etc."

She has already informed the matter to the DC to discuss the matter elaborately in the upcoming district coordination meeting.

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