Gas emitting from earth in Chilmari <i>char</i> area

21 December 2009, 17:00 PM

Bss, Rangpur

A huge sensation has been created among the people of Chilmari upazila in Kurigram following continuous emission of 'natural gas' with cracking sounds from the soil in recent days, officials and locals said. As it instantly catches fire and burns like natural gas, hundreds of people from the char areas and other places and journalists are visiting the spot. The gas has been coming out in 'Natun Char' covering over 300 acres of land extended up to three kilometres to the east of Fakirerhat ferry point in Raniganj union of Chilmari upazila. The main site is in the remote char areas on the riverbed, about 10 kilometres off to the northeast from Chilmari town and about 20 kilometres off to the southeast from Ulipur upazila town. "I have already gathered information about the phenomenon in the char area and I am preparing to visit the spot assessments," UNO of Chilmari Enamul Haque told the national news agency last week. Chairman of Raniganj union Abdul Karim Mian earlier visited the spot. Local union member Aynal Haque, eyewitness Bachchu Mina, 37, of nearby Fakirerhat Baganbari village told BSS that the matter was first noticed about two weeks ago when a group of erosion victims went there for planting boro seedlings. The 'Natun Char' emerged in "Feichka Babod Hatia Mouza' recently on the previous Akandpara village devoured by the Brahmaputra. The erosion victims suddenly heard some cracking sounds followed by gas-like smells while planting the seedlings. They started looking for the sources and found a number of points where the gas catches fire instantly and burns vigorously.