Swelling Monu poses threat as dykes risky

People of 19 villages of Rajnagar, Kulaura and Sadar upazilas of the district are passing their days amid fear of losing homesteads due to erosion by the Monu River at different points during the last couple of days.

Embankments at five points collapsed a few days ago and if immediate steps are not taken to repair the damaged parts, vast areas would be devoured by the river, said locals, blaming the authorities concerned for reluctance to solve the serious problem.

During recent visits, this correspondent found people of Kunagaon, Malikuna, Doni-Ashrakapon, Bagharhat, Kakirchak, Uzirpur and Premnagor villages under Rajnagar, Belertol, Kolirkona, Tilagaon, Asroygram, Chaksalon, Tajpur, Khondokar gram, Miarpara and Nischintopur under Kulaura, and Noyarhat, Chanpur and Borohat village under Sadar upazila facing threat of erosion as the river was flowing just below the danger level near the embankments.

"We are in panic as around 30 houses here were washed away due to embankment collapse in different times," said Dulal Miah, a resident of Kunagaon village.

"We often pass sleepless nights, guarding the embankment by turns," said Jalal Ahmed, 45, of the same village.

"Farmers have to count losses as their boro paddy and vegetables in vast areas have been flooded. We earlier urged the authorities concerned to repair the risky points of the flood control embankments but to no effect," said Ashkir Miah, chairman of Rajnagar upazila parishad.

Contacted, Md Faijur Rob, executive engineer of Moulvibazar Water Development Board, said there is no budget to repair the risky spots of embankments immediately.