Sidr-hit Sharankhola people still at risk

25 November 2011, 18:00 PM

Unb, Bagerhat

About 50,000 people of 21 villages of Sidr-affected Sharankhola upazila are facing risk due to very bad condition of an embankment along Baleshwar River. During cyclone Sidr, 15 to 16 feet water flow entered different villages breaking the 20 km embankment. As per the government estimate cyclone Sidr and water flow killed 709 people only in Sharankhola. About 14,000 families were affected and the losses in water sector were estimated at Tk 18 crore. On the night of November 15, 2007 Sidr caused havoc in Bagerhat and in some other southern adjacent districts. Sources said all formalities have been completed to repair the embankment costing Tk 11.50 crore but the works have not yet started because of not getting approval. The broken embankment has been repaired temporarily only by dropping soil, gunny bags, pilling and cement block. Some 50,000 people living beside the embankment are passing hard days. Asaduzzaman Milon, chairman of Rayenda union parishad of the upazila, told the news agency that 50,000 people of 21 villages beside the embankment are at great risk. He demanded immediate proper repairing of the embankment. M Khalilur Rahman, executive engineer of Water Development Board of the district said the repair work of the embankment will start after approval of the project by the World Bank. A project proposal, which was sent to the bank, is now awaiting approval. Seventy five per cent cost of the project will be provided by World Bank while rest by the government, sources said.