More than 400 families are spending a sleepless night due to severe erosion of the Morichchap river embankment in Manikkhali Char village in Assasuni Upazila Sadar of Satkhira.
Locals have expressed regret that the concerned authorities have not taken any action to repair the damaged embankment of about 200 feet adjacent to the Char village mosque.
Amir Hamza Khokon, a local resident, said that a cross dam was constructed at the erosion site to dig the Mirichchap river. Through gross irregularities and corruption, the contracting company disappeared without completing the work. Due to lack of water supply, the shrimp farmers of Budhhata, Assasuni and Sobhnali Unions have been suffering due to brackish water for the past two years. As a result, the local people cut the dam and ensured water supply a few months ago. But due to unplanned embankment cutting, around 200 feet of embankment in the embankment area has been eroded during low tide.
Local laborer Rezaul Islam said, Charbharati area is Assasuni Sadar but most of it is Budhhata Union land. He also said, Budhhata UP Chairman Assistant Professor Mahbubul Haque started the construction of a ring dam to prevent erosion. But after the change of government on August 5, the work stopped. He expressed apprehension that about 400 of our families will be washed away if a resilient embankment is not constructed in the erosion area immediately.
Abu Mucha Tarikuzzaman Tushar, Ameer of Asashuni Upazila Jamaat-e-Islam, said to hundreds of men and women present at the scene of the snow, that if the dam of Morichchap River breaks, 400 landless families of Chapra and Assasuni Mouza will be flooded and homeless. The dam is so important that the Manikkhali landless village may be affected by the upazila parishad.
If the officials of the concerned administration are not active, the design of the upazila headquarters will change along with the landless villages of Char due to river erosion. On behalf of Upazila Jamaat-E-Islam, the matter has been informed to Upazila Nirbahi Officer Krishna Roy. He said that he will inspect the land and take necessary steps.
In this regard, attempts were made to contact SO Momen Ali (01779287839) of the Water Development Board, but it was not possible to speak.
ZH
