Padma, Mahananda in spate again

The Padma and Mahananda rivers have swollen again submerging vast areas in Rajshahi and Chapainawabganj in last three days as hill waters are gushing through all the open gates of Farakka barrage.

The rise in the water levels of the rivers has also intensified erosion, rendering nearly 1000 families homeless.

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The Padma is flowing two centimeters above the danger levels at Pankha.

Due to unprecedented erosion, Mahanada and the Pagla rivers have converged at Maldah in West Bengal (India) and are discharging a huge volume of water, Water Development Board (WDB) officials here said.

To contain the unprecedented erosion, the Indian authorities have opened all the sluice gates of Farakka Barrage, they added.

Thousands of homesteads have been washed away and several thousand people are marooned again.

The 325 metre shank of Spar No-1 in the Padma Bank Protection Project, constructed at a cost of Tk 120 million, has been completely washed away.

In Shibganj, around 4,500 people of 761 families have been homeless in Kanchhira, Laxmipur, Babupur and Charpaka villages.

Over 2000 homesteads, crop lands and mango groves have been devoured by the Padma.

Several hundred houses have been washed away in Tangon in Motihar thana of the city and in Godagari and Charghat upazilas.

While visiting the areas, the affected people said the erosion is taking place as the Padma bank protection project is incomplete for three years.

When contacted, Water Development Board officials said the project could not be completed for fund crisis.