Erosion by Dharla renders 70 families homeless in 4 days
Dharla River has devoured at least 70 homesteads, cropland and orchards of three villages in Mogholhat Union of Lalmonirhat Sadar upazila in four days since Thursday morning.Photo: STAR
Erosion by river Dharla rendered at least 70 families in three villages under Mogholhat union of Sadar upazila homeless in last four days. About one hundred bighas of cultivable land, six vegetable gardens, a mosque and a temple have already been devoured by the river, said Habibur Rahman Habib, chairman of Mogholhat union parishad. Moreover, scores of homesteads, hundreds of acres of cultivable land, many orchards and important establishments at the villages face threat of erosion. The three erosion-hit villages are Badaitari, Nagortari and Majhitari. Victim villagers have taken shelter on high lands including roads and in relative's houses, locals said. People of Mogholhat union said erosion by the Dharla took a devastating turn in the last four days devouring homesteads and croplands one after another. They demanded measures to check erosion at Mogholhat point instead of just giving relief to the victims. Abu Bakkor, an affected villager, also a freedom fighter at Badaltari said, "My three bighas of cultivable land and the homestead with ten decimals of land went into Dharla on Friday night". “I along with five family members have taken refuge on the flood protection embankment at Mogholhat village,” added Abu Bakkor. Mazidul Islam, another erosion victim of the same village, said, “I had two guava gardens which was a source of my income worth Tk 75 to 80 thousand a year. Dharla has devoured it on Saturday night.” Shahidul Islam, 45, of Badaitari village said, “I lost my homestead for the third time on Saturday evening. Now all five members of my family have taken shelter at relative's house at a neighbouring village.” Mofiz Uddin, 50, of Majhitari village had a similar tale to tell. "Erosion has rendered at least 24 families of the village in the last four days till Sunday morning," he said. According to Mogholhat UP member Nazrul Islam Bhuttu, the river erosion has destroyed at least 70 homesteads during the period. Many villagers close to the river are leaving their homesteads for fear of erosion. A large number have lost standing crops especially maize because of erosion, he added. Sub-Divisional Engineer of Kurigram Zone Water Development Board Probir Kumar Ghosh said yesterday that they have already sent a project profile (PP) to the ministry concerned for approving fund for construction of an embankment to check Dharla erosion permanently at Mogholhat point. "We are yet to get any response", he said.
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