Food, water crisis in 85 Kobadak basin villages
Perennial waterlogging paralyses life at Raripara village, like many other areas in Kalaroa upazila.Photo: STAR
With deterioration of waterlogging in Kobadak basin areas, over 75,000 people living there are passing miserable days amid crisis of food and drinking water. At least 85 villages in 28 unions in Tala and Kalaroa upazilas in Satkhira and Jhikargachha, Manirampur and Keshabpur upazilas in Jessore district were inundated as water entered the areas overflowing banks of the silted river Kabodak. There is severe crisis of food and drinking water in those places and marooned people are passing miserable days for lack of work as croplands are now under water. The worst affected unions are Sarulia, Tala Sadar, Islamkati, Dhandia, Kumira, Khalishkhali, Magura, Jalalpur and Nagarghata in Tala upazila, Deara, Jugikhali, Joynagar and Jalalabad unions in Kalaroa upazila, Bakra, Hajirabad, Nirjaskhola and Panisara unions in Jhhikargachha, Trimohoni, Bidyanadakati, Mongalkote and Sagardari unions in Keshabpur and Jhhapa, Mashimnagar, Hariharnagar and Rohita unions in Manirampur upazila in Jessore. Most of the areas are under two to three feet water now and the villagers are almost isolated from other areas as boat is the only means of communication. Over 1,657 homeless families have taken shelter in the makeshift houses on high lands in the affected areas, sources said. Standing crops on about 30,000 acres of land were submerged. At least 45 shrimp enclosures and over 1760 ponds inundated and shrimps worth Tk one crore were washed away. Water logging on a vast swath of land and homestead poses a serious threat to livelihood and environment in the areas where waterlogging has become a problem since early 80s, said Sarulia union parishad Chairman Matiar Rahman.
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