Erosion threatens WAPDA dam in Dakop

Bidhan Chandra Ghosh, Dakop (Khulna)

Some places of WAPDA embankment in two polders out of three of Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) in Dakop Upazila of the district have become very vulnerable due to continuous and severe river erosion.

Due to the erosion, the map of settlements along these rivers is getting smaller day by day. If the vulnerable places are not repaired very quickly, the embankment may disappear into the river at any moment. And thousands of people in the area affected by the erosion have become disoriented due to the fear of extensive damage including disruption of Aman paddy cultivation this season.

According to local sources, Dakop Upazila is made up of three separate islands due to its geographical location. Severe river erosion occurs here throughout the year.

The residents here are under the influence of erosion, losing their property, and are becoming destitute. Many families lost everything due to river erosion and moved to other areas.

Among the numerous rivers surrounding this coastal upazila, the erosion of the Shibsa, Dhaki, Chunkuri, Pashur, Jhapjhapia and Manga rivers is still unstoppable. The Chalna Municipality and Pankhali and Tildanga unions are located in the polder no. 31 of the three polders of the BWDB and the island. Kamar Khola and Sutarkhali unions are located in the polder no. 32 and the island. Bajua, Dakop, Kailashganj, Loudob and Banishanta unions are located in the polder no. 33 and the island. Out of this, a sustainable new WAPDA embankment has been built with a World Bank loan of Tk 150 crore in the polders no. 32 and 33. A Chinese contractor has executed the work, which has not yet been handed over to the BWDB.

But there has been severe erosion in the 300 to 400 feet embankment near Kalabagi Aminul Sana’s house in the polder number 32 and cracks have appeared in different parts of the 400 to 500 feet embankment on the east side of Gunari Kalibari. As a result, the embankment is of no use to the polder residents.

Besides, the embankment of Jaberer Kheyaghat along with about 150 feet at the head of the Lakkhmikhola pitch road of the polder no. 31 and the embankment of Khalisa area have become very dangerous due to the erosion.

Santosh Sardar of the Gunari area said that due to a lack of proper planning, a sustainable WAPDA embankment is not being constructed. Because of this, severe erosion has occurred again in some places including Gunari Kalibari of the newly constructed embankment. Moreover, the fortunes of some local public representatives, contractors, and BWDB officials improved when the WAPDA dam collapsed. Due to this, there is a lot of delay in the repair work. If the vulnerable areas are not repaired quickly, the embankment may break and flood large areas at any time. He thinks that this will cause a lot of damage to the people of the area, including disrupting the planting of paddy seedlings this Aman season.

Sutarkhali UP Chairman Masum Ali Fakir said that the Chinese contractor company has constructed a sustainable new WAPDA embankment in the polder no. 32 with the financing of the World Bank, which has not yet been handed over to the BWDB. But before that, several places of the embankment became very dangerous due to severe erosion. At present, repair work is going on by putting sandbags in all those places. The area in front of Kalabagi Aminul Sana’s house has become seriously vulnerable due to erosion. The matter has been informed to the officials of the BWDB. But no action has been taken till now.

In this connection, Ashraful Alam, BWDB executive engineer, said, “We have another work going on at the head of the Lakkhmikhola pitch road in Pankhali Union, next to the dangerous place. Once the work is done, I will start the repair work quickly at that dangerous place. And the matter of Kalabagi has been informed to the superior officer. As the Chinese contractor has not handed over the embankment to us yet, action will be taken according to the instructions that will come from the concerned department.”