Dharla renders 265 families homeless in last 10 days
Dharla continues to devour homesteads, farmlands and orchards at five villages under Mogholhat union of Lalmonirhat Sadar upazila. This photo was taken from erosion-hit Chawratari village a few days ago.Photo: STAR
At least 265 families in five villages of Sadar upazila became homeless due to erosion by the River Dharla in the last 10 days. The erosion-hit villages are Chawratari, Bosuniyatari, Majhipara, Mogholhat and Kurul. About 700 bighas of cropland, over 10 orchards, two mosques, an Eidgah and two madrasas in the areas were devoured by the river. Besides, around 500 families and a few government and non government offices, including Mogholhat BGB camp are under threat of the erosion, said locals. Despite repeated pleas, the authorities remained indifferent to the on-going erosion, alleged Habibur Rahman Habib, chairman of Mogholhat Union Parishad. During a recent visit, this correspondent found many villagers leaving their homesteads and shifting to safer places along with households in fear of further erosion. Shomser Ali Mollah, 48, of Chawratari village, said, “The river devoured my homestead, 15 bighas of cultivable land and a bamboo cluster during the period.” Another victim, Ayesha Begum, 45, of Kurul village, said she lost her homestead and a fruit orchard on one bigha of land last Friday due to the erosion. Subedar Abdul Bashed, company commander of 31-BGB camp said they sent a letter to Water Development Board (WDB) authorities to check the erosion. Contacted, Kurigram WDB executive engineer Abu Taher said they also wrote to the higher authorities for fund to cope with the situation.
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