Unprotected Patuakhali

Bonik Potty area of Patuakhali town snapped during hightide on August 22. PHOTO: STAR

Besides vast croplands in the seven upazilas, two-thirds of Patuakhali town are inundated by water during high tide as all the rivers swell.

Most of the erosion in embankments took place during monsoon this year and last year, according to Water Development Board (WDB) officials.

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The situation will be precarious in the next monsoon if the embankments are not repaired on emergency basis, they said. Aman sowing is being affected in about 10,000 acres of land now because of inundation, they said.

The officials said they have sent proposals involving Tk 17 crore to higher authorities for repair of the embankments, at least top keep the lands suitable for rice cropping.

The eroded embankments include 35 kms in Bara Baiohdia in Galachipa, 25 kms in Rangopaldi union in Dashmia upazila, 20 kms in Muradia union in Dumki upazila, 10 kms in Char Bestin and five kms in Char Montaz.

There are about 1200 km WDB embankments in the coastal district to protect it from flood and tidal surge.

They said they initiated repair of 48 km embankments some years back. But the project is half-done due to fund shortage.

WDB Executive Engineer Abdul Mazid Mollah told this correspondent at his office on Tuesday that he sent many reminders to higher authorities for allocation of funds on an emergency basis to repair the damaged embankments, but to no effect.

Two-thirds area of the district town go under water during high tide, mainly in the wet season from June to October. The most vulnerable areas included Puran Bbazar, Chalk Bazar, Kath Patti, Nabab Para, Shimul Bagh, Mushim Para, College Road, Sadar Road, Post Office Road, Munsef Para, where 3 to 4 feet water remains stagnant for a day after the tide.

About 40,000 people of these areas suffered a lot as water inundates most of the houses.

"I cook (food) during low tide and fed my children and husband during high tide", housewife Putul in Nabab Para joked while talking to this correspondent.

"Because my kitchen is inundated during high tide".

There are many who follow Putul.

Patuakhali town is surrounded by Patuakhali river on the north and Hohalia river on the east. Waters from the rivers roll into the town whenever they rise.

The town protection embankment-cum drainage project, taken-up seven years ago, is yet to be implemented.

The Tk 17.27 crore project was taken up after the visit of the then agriculture minister Majid-ul Hque to Patuakhali in 1997.

The project includes construction 4.20 km flood control embankment and one km wall and installation of seven sluice gates and four power pumps in 38 outlets.

The Water Resources Ministry okayed the project in 2001 but it is awaiting approval by the ECNEC (Executive Committee of National Economic Council, WDB sources said.