Save Patuakhali, its people

Because of lack of a town protection embankment, tidal water enters into Patuakhali town paralysing normal life. The picture has been taken from the Puran bazaar area recently. Photo:Star

Besides flooding and erosion, water-logging is a constant problem in the low-lying coastal town.

The Tk 17.27 project was taken up after the visit of the then agriculture minister Majid ul-Haque and Water Development Board (WDB) secretary to Patuakhali in 1997.

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The water resources ministry approved the project but the Executive Committee of National Economic Council (ECNEC) is sitting on it, Patuakhali Pourashabha Chairman Mostaq Ahmed told this correspondent on Thursday.

A project was taken up in the sixties to protect Patuakhali town and coastal upazilas of Bauphal, Dashmila Kalapra and Mirjagonj from flood and saline water. The town was later excluded from the project, considering its low-lying position.

The authorities later included Patuakhali town in the project and styled it Patuakhali Town Protection Embankment Cum- Drainage Project.

The town is inundated even with a normal rise in river water. The most vulnerable areas include Puran Bazar, Kathpatti, Nabadpara, Muslimpara, Government Collage Road, Sabujbagh, Arambagh, Kalikapur, Town Jainkathi and Bahalgachi, where water remains stagnant for days together after high tide or rain.

The new project is designed to protect the town from flash flood and erosion and remove stagnant water.

The project includes construction of 4.20 km flood control embankment, eight water drainage slice gets, 38 outlets, one km wall and installation of four power pumps.