5 lakh brace for flood as Kobadak dredging yields no result

The frail Kobadak will turn furious with the onset of monsoon as dredging could not improve its navigability. PHOTO: STAR

The Water Development Board (WDB) took up a Tk 24 crore project in 2003 to dredge the river from Sarashkati to Pajakola following a series of agitation programmes organised by the Koradak Bachao Andolon, a civic body that also includes political leaders from all parties.

Water Resources Minister Hafizur Rahman inaugurated the dredging at a colourful ceremony, held on October 26, 2003.

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The dredging virtually yielded no result, leaders of the Koradak Bachao Andolon said while talking to this correspondent. They will go for another spell of agitation programmes soon, they said.

They apprehend massive floods in the coming monsoon also as navigability of the river has not improved after the dredging.

Repeated devastating floods in the last couple of years displaced several lakh people in 150 villages under 15 unions in Kalaroa and Tala Upazilas in Satkhira and Jhhikargachh, Keshabpur and Manirampur upazilas in Jessore districts.

Floods damaged scores of houses and crops of vast lands and washed away fishes from shrimp enclosures. In many areas, croplands remained uncultivated even during the dry season due to stagnant water, which also damaged trees and greenery. Scores of people rendered homeless by the floods are yet to be rehabilitated.

When contacted over phone, the Jessore WDB Executive Engineer admitted that such dredging is a "temporary measure".

Satkhira WDB officials said there is no alternative to continuous dredging of the river for keeping its navigability.

The problem can not be solved in an isolated way, they said.

Other silted rivers in the area including Mathabhanga, Betna, Chunkuri, Marichap, Bhairab, Chitra, Harihar should be dredged under a comprehensive plan to check recurring floods in the region, they said.