<i>'91cyclonic storm still haunts coastal people </i>
Call for construction of more cyclone shelters and repair of existing ones
An inadequate number of cyclone shelters, poor maintenance of the existing ones and lack of plan for setting up new shelters remain a matter of grave concern for the people of the coastal belt in Chittagong.
The existing shelters, mostly set up after 1991 cyclonic storm and several are before the War of Liberation, lie in a miserable state and face manifold problems, sources at District Relief and Rehabilitation Officer (DRRO) in Chittagong said.
With 50 per cent of the around 400 shelters requiring more or less repair work, the people fear large scale of devastation and casualties if the cyclonic storm lashes the coastal areas like that of April 29, 1991.
But, the authorities concerned appear quite indifferent to the safety of the people who frequently witness loss of lives and properties during natural calamities like flood, cyclone and tidal upsurge.
Most of the cyclone shelters were constructed by the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED), Public Works Department (PWD) and Education Engineering Department while some others set up with the financial assistance of Japan, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.
The shelters have turned into a safe haven for the criminals and the drug peddlers at night-time while they are being used as schools in the daytime.
Around 64 shelters, out of 90, at the offshore upazila of Sandwip are in a vulnerable condition and require immediate repair for keeping them usable for the people of the highly disaster-prone area.
Ziaur Rahman, Project Implementation Officer (PIO) of Sandwip, said around one lakh people, mostly fishermen and other lower class people, depend on the centres during any natural calamity. He said most of the doors and the windows of these shelters are worn out.
There is a PIO in every upazila for management of the cyclone shelters under the Ministry for Food and Disaster Management.
Mansur-E-Alam, an office assistant of Sitakunda PIO Office, said some of the centres were constructed in 1990 while others before 1965.
"Twenty to 25 per cent of some 3.34 lakh people living in 10 unions under the upazila depend on 57 shelters during any natural disaster here," Alam said.
PIO Mohammad Sattar Ali of Anwara said 40, out of 60 shelters, need repair so badly while number of the shelters is inadequate for some 1.5 lakh people in the disaster-prone coastal upazila with a population of 3 lakh.
"Several unions in the coastal belt like Roypur, Barkhine and Barashat need more centres as the existing ones can hardly provide them with shelter," Sattar said.
Mohammad Ruhul Amin, DRRO in Chittagong, admitting the inadequacy of shelters and miserable condition of the existing ones, said they have sent a proposal to the Ministry of Food and Disaster Management in this regard in June.
"In the proposal we have recommended for repairing the dilapidated centres and constructing new centres", Ruhul Amin added.
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