Coastal embankment develops cracks

An eroded bend developed by tidal water of the sea in coastal embankment at Kattoli point near Ananda Bazar. PHOTO: STAR

The cracks are widening fast. It may cause massive destruction in the rainy season, sources said.

The Water Development Board (WDB) officials waved aside any accident due to cracks as the process is underway to repair those developed in the embankment.

Local people attributed the cracks to faulty and weak construction.

Locals feared inundation of the coastal area during natural calamities unless the cracks are repaired immediately.

Of the cracks, three at Halishahar Ananda Bazar area required immediate repair, sources said. Another crack at Daxmin Madyam (south-middle) Halishahar might withstand natural calamities, sources added.

Parichalona O Rakkha-nabekkhan (POR) - 1 of Water Development Board (WDB) is responsible for the management and maintenance of the 21km embankment from Patenga Naval Academy to Faujderhat.

Md. Muniruzzaman, executive engineer of POR -1 of WDB, said "We have identified three cracks for immediate repair at Ananda Bazar area and process is underway in this regard."

"Some 200m of the embankment will be repaired at three points of Ananda Bazar at a cost Tk 10 lakh," he said.

The contractors will start the work within a few days and they have been asked to complete the repair within 25 days, he added.

"One or two rain-cuts might develop at the embankment during the rainy season. But they can be repaired under regular maintenance programme," he said.

"Apart from this, the embankment, at least under POR-1, doesn't need any massive rehabilitation," he added.

The embankment along the city was constructed under the Coastal Embankment Rehabilitation Programme (CERP). It was initiated immediately after the devastating cyclone of 1991.

The 200km embankment was constructed along the coast stretching from Teknaf in Cox's Bazar to Mirer Sarai in Chittagong at a cost of around Tk 300 crore.

Implementation of the project started in 1993 and ended in 1997.

Contracting firms Corola Corporation, Neptune Corporation and BDC constructed the embankment, sources said.

Local people of Patenga and Halishahar said irregularities in construction of the embankment was responsible for the cracks.

"Earth was collected just from the foot of the embankment to raise the height and make room for stagnant rainwater as well, said one Iqbal of Ananda Bazar area.

"In many areas the embankment was very weak as the contractors didn't maintain the standard," he alleged.

Mohammad Zakaria, a ward commissioner of Chittagong City Corporation (CCC), said all the three cracks that required immediate repair were at Ananda Bazar under his ward.

"Sometimes repair work was done with earth collected just from the foot of the embankment when illegal sand collectors stole sand from there," he said.

"We have informed it to the WDB," he said. "But a little has been done in checking the ill practice," he added.