Sidr still haunts the coastal people
A Sidr victim woman gives a frustrated look beside her makeshift shelter in Pathorghata upazila of Barguna district after the cyclone in 2007.STAR Fille Photo
Today is November 15. On this day in 2007, super cyclone Sidr left a trail of devastations in the southern districts. The people of Barisal division, who were severely affected by the natural calamity, are yet to fully recover from the pain of losses and damage. Meanwhile, human rights activists and cyclone affected people have demanded investigation into alleged mismanagement in rehabilitation work and misappropriation of the funds allocated for the purpose. The backbone of agro-economy in the region was badly hurt as the crop fields were flooded with saline water following breaches in the flood control embankments and huge domestic animals and birds and fishery resources were destroyed. More than 1.5 lakh families in Patuakhali, Barguna, Pirojpur, Barisal, Bhola and Jhalakathi districts lost their houses due to the Sidr. The onslaughts of Sidr on November 15 in 2007 and another super cyclone Aila on May 25 in 2009, and threats of avian influenza caused damage worth about Tk 200 crore in livestock sector in the division, said Barisal divisional livestock office sources. Barisal divisional fisheries office estimated more than 1500 crore taka damages in fish farming sector in the region affected by cyclone Sidr and Aila. Barisal division of Public Health Engineering Department sources said 9,070 deep tube-wells were destroyed or damaged by Sidr in six districts of Barisal division while water of more than 3,500 ponds and tanks reserved for drinking water supply, became polluted, causing acute crisis of safe drinking water. Water Development Board sources said 300 kilometres long embankments were destroyed and more 2000 kilometres long embankments damaged by Sidr in the coastal belt. About one hundred pontoons and jetties of different water transport and ferry crossing stations were displaced and stuck aground while navigation signal lights were badly damaged. The area also saw extensive damage to roads and highways. Before the damage of Sidr could be recovered, cyclone Aila hit the region, causing serious hindrance to rehabilitation programmes. However the people of southern region have bravely fought the two devastating natural calamities, producing food above the targeted amount during the last four years, said sources at Department of Agricultural Extension in Barisal division. There are allegations that the funds allocated for relief and rehabilitations of cyclone affected people were not properly utilised. A large number of victims of the two cyclones have continued suffering as there was lack of coordination among different agencies and NGOs engaged in the relief and rehabilitation programmes and alleged mismanagement of funds allocated for the purpose, said Gopal Sarker, chief of Barisal divisional chapter of Bangladesh Human Rights Journalists Forum. Many houses, built for rehabilitation of the cyclone victims, became unusable within a short time as low quality materials were used, said Dheeman Sarker, a contractor in Barguna. They demanded investigation into the matter.
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