When the monsoon comes, people in the northern townships of Rangpur, Lalmonirhat and Kurigram worry more. Especially during the monsoon season, the most affected by the erosion are the residents of the Char area along the banks of the Brahmaputra, Dharla, Teesta and Dudhkumar rivers. As the dam was not repaired during the dry season, they are spending their days with the fear of damage due to the approaching monsoon. Most worried are the inhabitants of the unprotected banks of these rivers.
It has recently been observed on the ground that among the 16 rivers flowing through these districts, Brahmaputra, Dharla, Teesta and Dudhkumar are the most prone to erosion. Every year the residents of both banks of these rivers have to lose their houses and crops due to erosion during the monsoon season. However, among the four main rivers, only the Brahmaputra, Dharla and Dudhkumar are under construction of bank dams to prevent erosion. However, the project was not taken up in Teesta. Due to this, the residents of Tistapar are under threat of erosion this year.
Lakshmitari, Kolkond, Nohali, Gangachara Sadar and Gajjhanti Union of Gangachara Upazila of Rangpur are the first to be affected by floods every year. Among these, Garnerpar, Binbinar Char, Shankardah, West Ichli, East Ichli, Bagherhat, Char Ishwarpur, Jairam Mouza, Mornea, Ramakant and Sarai are the worst affected.
Maqsudar Rahman of Garnarpar village considers the miserable days of last year’s floods as a nightmare. He was preparing for sehri during fasting. Before they knew it, Teesta water entered their village. In a moment, water accumulates in the courtyard of the house at a height of four to five feet. Without delay, he rushed to the safe destination along with other members of the house including the sleeping children. That day no one in the village could take anything out of the house. Everyone managed to go to a safe place with only their lives.
Besides, Gadai, Panjarbhanga, Nichpara, Talukshahbaz, Dhusmara and Harishwar Gopibhanga of Balapara Union of Kaunia Upazila are watered by Teesta River every year; Chargani of Tepamdhupur Union, Hazrat Khan; The people of Char Nazirdah Shahid Bagh and Char Nazirdah areas in Haragach Union suffered huge losses.
Chairman of Balpara Union of Kaunia Upazila. Anshar Ali told Vanik Barta, “If the water development board (Paubo) had repaired the affected area of the dam before the full onset of the monsoon, then the suffering of the people would have been reduced a lot.”
Residents of several villages in two unions of Pirgacha upazila suffer when Teesta water rises during monsoon. The villages are Gabura, Daulat Khan, Kandira, Shibdevchar, Char Chhaola, Kamarer Hat, Ramsingh, Juaner Char, Char Tambulpur, Namachhar and Char Rahmat of Tambulpur Union in Chawla Union.
Chawla Union Chairman. Nazir Hassan said, “There is a danger that the Gabura Government Primary School of this union will disappear under the river. Earlier, the school was saved due to the construction of a dam by the Union Parishad. However, at that time, Jio gave the bag from Paubo. But it will not be possible to save the school if we don’t throw new Jio bags. I have contacted the Pubo authorities in this regard. But there was no response.’
He complained that every year more or less erosion continues in his union due to non-construction of the planned dam on Teesta river. 700 acres of land and 150 houses have already been destroyed. Besides, about 10,000 people have suffered direct and indirect losses.
Executive Engineer of Rangpur Paubo. Rabiul Islam also admitted that about five kilometers of Teesta Danti’s protection dam is dangerous. Among them, some points of Garnerpar and Morneya Dam in Gangachra Upazila are vulnerable. Besides, there is erosion on the banks of Teesta River in Gadai Union of Kaunia Upazila and Chaola Union of Pirgacha Upazila.
When asked if the Paubo is not conducting renovation activities in these places before the monsoon, he said, ‘The approval and estimate of the work has been informed in writing to the higher authority. But the renovation work cannot be started due to not getting the permission yet.’
According to Kurigram Paubo, a permanent embankment to protect the right bank of the Brahmaputra river has been started long ago. Currently, the left bank defense is also ongoing. Although bank protection work is done only in the erosion prone areas of Brahmaputra, Paubo plans to protect both banks of the river in stages.
On the other hand, the ongoing Dharla river bank protection work is also ongoing since last year. About 80 percent of the work has already been completed. As a result, Paubo said that the erosion tendency of Dharla river has reduced a lot. Similarly in Dudhkumar also the work of ongoing bank protection project. In some groups the work is being done through contracting firms. About 80 percent of the work has also been completed in Dudhkumar. However, although the project work is ongoing to prevent the erosion of both banks of these rivers, no project has been taken to protect the small chars and islands in the middle of the Brahmaputra. Due to the grand plan for Teesta, the government has not taken any project to protect only the banks of Teesta. Due to this, the erosion of Brahmaputra, Dharla and Dudhkumar has reduced in the last monsoon season, but the Teesta has broken. However, Paubo tried to stop the erosion by dropping geo bags there on an emergency basis.
In this regard, the executive engineer of Kurigram Paubo said. Rakibul Hasan Vanik told Barta, “Though the project is ongoing to protect the permanent banks of Brahmaputra, Dharla and Dudhkumar flowing over the district, no permanent project has been taken in Teesta in the hope of implementing the master plan. For this reason, as in the previous year, this time, it is supposed to work on an emergency basis in the areas affected by erosion. However, in the future, like other rivers, work is being done to implement permanent projects in Teesta. If the project is passed, the work will be started.
Regarding the erosion of the unprotected areas of other rivers, he said, ‘There is a plan to prevent erosion where there are grasslands. Moreover, this time in the rainy season, where there are unprotected areas of other rivers, if erosion occurs, work will be done on an urgent basis.’
Dahgram in Patgram upazila of Lalmonirhat, Goddimari, Sindurna, Dauabari, Patikapara, Sindurna, Dauabari, Patikapara, Singimari, Tushbhandar in Kaliganj upazila, Votmari, Mahishkhocha in Aditmari upazila and several wards in Khuniagach, Panchagram and Gokunda union in Sadar upazila are at risk of Teesta river erosion. Although sand dams and blocks have been provided in some areas, as the river is not completely controlled, the crop lands and settlements go under the river every year due to floods. Residents along the river are worried because there is no advance preparation of the town to prevent erosion.