Tk722 crore project to protect mainland from river-erosion

A project has been formulated to protect around 4.5-kilometer mainland from erosion of the river Padma in the district.

The project has been taken by Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) to protect the erosion-prone areas under Bagha and Charghat Upazilas with an estimated cost of around Taka 722 crore.

Kohinur Alam, Executive Engineer of BWDB, said the river-bank areas including Alaipur, Kishorepur, Panikamra and Meergonj in Bagha and Pirojpur and Raotha in Charghat Upazilas are very much erosion-prone and many of those areas have already been devoured by the erosion.

In the last 10-15 years, around one-kilometer mainland of the areas along with homesteads and croplands were eroded and people face the erosion leaving many of them homeless and asset-less in almost every year.

Engineer Alam said the project has been adopted to get relief from the natural disaster. Around 4.30-kilometer area will be brought under protection through necessary infrastructure development.

In addition to the construction of one-kilometer alternative embankment, 800-meter old embankment will be rehabilitated.

The proposed project has also provision of bringing 12.1-kilometer river area under dredging for restoring its navigability besides diverting the water current to the middle portion of the river.

He also said necessary steps have been taken to protect Rajshahi metropolis from erosion by the river Padma. The work on 4.905-kilometer river embankment protection and three groin/spars rehabilitation was implemented under the Taka 268.17-crore project protecting more than five kilometers area from river erosion. The bank of the Padma river has got a new look following the implementation of development scheme. The entire area has been turned into an amusement site.

Meanwhile, BWDB has been executing seven other projects in different districts under Rajshahi division involving around Taka 3,992.87 crore at present aimed at improving the socio-economic condition of the public in general through water resource management.

Muhammad Ali, chief engineer of BWDB, told BSS that a Taka 159.97-crore mega project has been adopted for constructing a rubber dam across Mohananda River in Chapainawabganj district for bringing back its navigability. In addition to the construction of the dam, 36.05-kilometer river area will be brought under capital dredging.

More than 7,500 hectares of land could be brought under irrigation upon successful implementation of the project titled "Rubber Dam Construction and River Dredging in Mohananda".

The project is intended to improve water flow and navigability besides ensuring goods transportation in the riverway. It will also help upgrade water level through aquifer recharge, in addition, to enhance irrigation facilities to croplands and to promote the fish pass and fish farming.

Engineer Ali said implementation of another project titled "Flood Control, Water Sewerage and Irrigation in Joboy Beel" under Shapahar and Porsha upazilas of Naogaon district has been started.

There are provisions of implementing multidimensional works like 7.93 hectares of land acquisition, construction of a 14-vent regulator and 10 inlets, restoration of 14-kilometer embankment, re-excavation of 14-kilometer canal and protection of 0.8-kilomter approach road slope in the Taka 41.96-crore project.

Initiatives have been taken to protect the areas of Shingra Municipality under Natore district from erosion by Atrai and Nagar Rivers. There are provisions of protecting 1.708-kilometer river embankment and re-excavating 96-kilometre River under Taka 41.99-crore project.