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Heavy Rain, Water From Across Border

Someshwary turns furious, devours houses, croplands

18 May 2009, 18:00 PM

NATIONAL

Our Correspondent, Netrakona

Erosion by hilly river Someshwary in bordering Durgapur upazila under the district has taken a serious turn due to heavy rain and rolling down of water from the upstream in India. During the last few days, the river has devoured at least 200 dwelling houses and about 500 acres of cultivated land. Around 800 people, rendered homeless by the erosion, have taken refuge in the nearby flood shelters or other villages. During a visit to the areas, this correspondent saw devouring of a vast tract of land of Dakumara, Ranikong and Shibganj villages in Durgapur upazila by the Someshwary. Local people tried to resist erosion by dumping sandbags, bamboos and timbers but strong current of the river foiled their attempt. Serious erosion by the river in the rainy season has become a yearly affair. In last three years, the river has devoured most areas of Khamarkhali Bazar and Shibganj Bazar. Over four hundred families used to live at village Dakumara four years ago. But the river Someshwary engulfed 500 acres of land leaving 250 families landless and homeless. In last three years three kilometres of the five-kilometre Shibganj-Ranikong road in Durgapur upazila, the only link road between Durgapur upazila headquarters and bordering villages of Durgapur, went into the Someshwary river. Local people told this correspondent that they repeatedly urged the authorities concerned to construct a four-kilometre protection embankment from Gaokandia to Ranikong along the Someshwary River but to no effect. When contacted, Mohammad Didarul Alam, executive engineer of Bangladesh Water Development Board, Netrakona, said, “A Tk 62 lakh project for construction of 160-metre protection embankment on the Someshwary River has started at Shibganj and it will complete next year. The four-kilometre protection embankment will have to be made in stages.” Locals, however, said construction work of the 160-metre embankment stopped shortly after its start. Besides, the said protection embankment will have very little to do to prevent floods from around four kilometre areas along the river, they said. They have urged the authorities concerned to take necessary action immediately.