Padma erosion renders hundreds homeless in Chapai, Tk 119 crore project goes down drain

Chapainawabganj, July 29 (BDNEWS) - Thousands of people of several unions in Chapainawabganj became homeless due to erosion as the Tk. 119 crore project for protecting the left bank of the River Padma was not implemented fully. The erosion-hit areas are: Charbagdanga and Sundarpur union under sadar Upazila, Ugirpur, Chatragipur under Shibganj upazila and different areas under Paka union. According to local people, the prime minister promised to establish a dam to protect the Padma River in Shibganj from erosion. After this Water Development Board (WDB) made a PCP of about Tk. 81 crore and sent it to Sadar office of IWM. As the project took much time for examining, the Water Development board called tender for the earlier project of Tk. 54 crore. But work order could not be issued, as it was not passed at the ECNEC. According WDB, till now ECNEC did not pass the project. Recently the project of Tk. 81 crore was handed over to WDB after examining by IWM. Now it is waiting approval at the concerned ministry. Mamun, Sub-divisional engineer of Chapainawabganj WDB, told BDNEWS that in the report of IWB, the proposal of hardpoint at upstream was refused and it was recommended to build resistance wall from Boglauri to Komlakantopur spar no. 3 under Shibganj upazila and at 6 and 7 no. spar area situated under Sadar upazila. On a spot visit, it was found that river erosion was taking huge toll at several kilometers area on the upstream and downstream of the bank protect activities. At least 360 families of Ugirpur union took shelter at Chama. Uttar Ugirpur Primary School, which was established in1927, situated 15 to 20 yards from the river, was shifted to Chama due to erosion. Liakot Ali (50) of South Ugirpur Bin Para told BDNEWS that his house and lands went under the river four times in last eight years. The other people of the erosion-hit areas also said it. The people of these areas lost everything and took shelter at the both side of the dam. They complained that there was none to help them. According to local people, the distance between the River Padma and Pagla at Shibganj upazila is only 150 meters. As the erosion affected at Atrashia village, the distance between the two rivers is gradually decreasing. If the two rivers come together, the Chapainawabganj-Sonamasjid highway and 25 to 30 villages under five unions will submerge under the river. Then Chapainawabganj will be at risk. They also told that at the last phase of the previous government, the Tk 75 crore project of Padma River left bank protection was taken at Paka Narayanpur in district sadar and Shibganj upazila. The project included eight solid spars, flood control dam of 20 kilometres, two cross dams etc. But the activities were suspended at the beginning of the rainy season. The BNP government started work of the project but they could not complete it during three years. According to local people, any initiative to protect the erosion of Padma River was not taken due to corruption, faults in draft and construction works. BDNEWS/1110 hrs