Sand lifting threatens dykes
Like several other places, this portion of the 111-foot-wide embankment on the main canal under Teesta irrigation project in Nilphamari district remains highly vulnerable to collapse as unscrupulous earth lifters have created a large ditch only a few feet away from the bank at Paschim Balagram village in Jaldhaka upazila.Photo: STAR
Embankments of the main irrigation canal under Teesta irrigation project, the largest of the kind in the country, face the threat of collapse any time as a section of 'influential' people have continued lifting earth and sand from it. If the embankments collapse, several thousand hectares of cultivable land and a number of adjoining villages in Dimla and Jaldhaka upazilas will go under water and irrigation to 44 thousand hectares of boro fields targeted this year will be threatened. The 18 kilometre long and 278 feet wide main irrigation canal from Teesta barrage point at Dalia of Dimla upazila to Dundidari of Jaldhaka upazila has 1400-1600 cubic feet water per second flow if there is normal flow in Teesta River, said officials of Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB). Visiting the main canal area on March 18, this correspondent found that due to illegal earth and sand lifting, a number of ditches have appeared on embankments on both sides, each having 111 feet width. The situation is worse on the left embankment (at the eastern side of canal) as it is used by BWDB as observation road and light vehicles like tractors, trolleys, mini trucks carrying earth and sand can move through it more easily. At least at 20 points of the left embankment, 10-12 feet deep ditches stretching from 30feet to 100 feet in length have been created, making it highly vulnerable. Most vulnerable points of this embankment are Paschim Balagram, Chaora Dangi and Dundibari of Jaldhaka, Kakra, Satjan, Khalisha Chapani and Dalia of Dimla. In many places on the left embankment, there are ditches within 10 feet from the main canal, making the areas vulnerable to collapse even under the normal pressure of canal water or in rainfall. Earth and sand lifting and other activities that are harmful to canal embankments are treated as crime according to BWDB rule. "Influential earth lifters from Jaldhaka use tractors and power tillers to lift earth and sand from the left embankment of the canal that flows through the village. They threatened me when I protested the act,” said Hafez Moinul Islam of Paschim Balagram village. Zahed Ali, 40, of Dundibari village in Jaldhaka upazila, Mofizar Rahman, 35, of Kakra village in Dimla upazila, said some local people also join with earth and sand traders in lifting earth and sand from the left embankment to raise the level of their homesteads and for development of local markets. Admitting illegal earth and sand lifting from the main canal embankments, Sub Divisional Engineer of BWDB's Dalia Division Mainuddin Mondol said, "Last year I went to Paschim Balagram point of main canal to prevent earth lifting from left embankment as I was informed by mobile phone. But the earth lifters detained me. Later police from Jaldhaka rescued me.” Chairman of Balagram union parishad of Jaldhaka, Tohidul Islam said, "In previous years main canal embankments at Satjan and Dundibari points were damaged, causing inundation to croplands and villages. BWDB had to spend a lot of money to repair them. If earth and sand lifting is not checked immediately, the embankments may collapse again." "I am facing difficulties to look after vast network of Teesta canal embankments as there is acute manpower crisis at my office. A number of cases were filed against earth and sand lifters. I have sought help from the concerned union parishad chairmen for creating awareness among villagers," said Zahirul Islam, executive engineer of BWDB's Dalia Division. When contacted, Abdul Khaleque, president of rock and sand traders association in Dimla, said he had no report of lifting earth or sand from Teesta canal embankments by any of their association member.
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