Erosion in Lalmonirhat
Teesta devours homesteads, croplands in 6 villages
The Teesta River has continued devouring homesteads and croplands at several villages in Sadar and Hatibandha upazilas of Lalmonirhat district during the last four or five days. The photo was taken from Kalmati village in Khuniyagachh union under Lalmonirhat Sadar upazila. Photo: STAR
Erosion by river Teesta took a serious turn devouring homesteads and croplands in six villages of three unions under Sadar and Hatibandha upazilas in the last 4-5 days. Aroud a hundred families have been rendered homeless by the river since Saturday morning. The erosion hit people have taken shelter on nearby government land, school and college grounds. The affected six villages are Purbo Sindurna, Sarkertari of Sindurna union,Vatiyatari, Char Dawabari of Dawabari union under Hatibandha upazila and Kalmati, Milonbazar villages of Khuniyagachh union under Sadar upazila. Erosion hit people at Purbo Sindurna village in Sindurna union of Hatibandha upazila told this correspondent that the river took a devastating turn here in last four days devouring houses one after another. Victim Mamotaz Ali,65, of the village said that at least 32 families were rendered homeless during the period. Jomir Uddin,50, another erosion victim at Vatiyatari village in Dawabari union of the upazila said that at least 18 families in his village were rendered homeless. "Many people are leaving their homesteads at the village in fear of erosion," he added. According to Moinuddin,60, at Kalmati village in Khuniyagachh union of Sadar upazila, homesteads of around 25 families were devoured by the river in the last four days till Tuesday noon. Many croplands with standing crops have been lost into the river, he said. "I had three houses on six decimals homestead. The river eroded my homestead at noon on Monday. Now five of my family including myself are staying at our relative's house,” said Monsur Ali, 48, of the same village. Union parishad chairman of Sindurna union in Hatibandha upazila Khotib Uddin said that the erosion by the Teesta took a serious turn on Saturday morning and since then it has been devouring homesteads, croplands, orchards of the union. People of my union are taking shelter on government roads, school-college grounds and at relative's houses, he said. “I have informed the local Water Development Board authorities about erosion and condition of my people on Monday," he said. Contacted, Lalmonirhat Water Development Board (WDB) executive engineer Enayet Ullah said his office had no fund to check the river erosion immediately. "We have sent a letter to the higher authorities on Monday seeking fund to check river erosion at the six villages in Sadar and Hatibandha upazilas," he said.
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