Almost two weeks after Cyclone Rimal in Manpura, Bhola, the repair work of the collapsed dam has not been completed. As a result, thousands of residential houses, shops and crop lands are at extreme risk. The people of Manpura demand the construction of a permanent strong dam along with the quick completion of the renovation work.
On the ground, it was learned that the new and old 165 meter dams of 12 points in 4 unions of Manpura Upazila of Bhola were broken by the high tide water flow during the storm Rimal. In this, Meghna water flooded thousands of residences, shops, agricultural land and other structures. This erosion occurs at 12 points including Sonar Char of Hazirhat, Dasherhat Matsya Ghat Dam, Master Hat of North Sakuchia, Alam Bazar, Sivis Dam of South Sakuchia, Dam adjacent to Sirajganj and Old Launch Ghat of Manpura. Another 3 km embankment was also damaged.
Since the end of the cyclone, the water development board has not completed the renovation work even after almost 2 weeks. The locals are worried about this.
Durlabh Chandra Das, a resident of Manpura Upazila’s Dakshin Sakuchia Union’s Sivis area, said. Rakibul Hasan, Tapas Chandra Dey and Md. Noorannabi said that due to Cyclone Rimal, the high tide of Meghna river broke the embankment in our area and water entered the residence. Our pond-surrounding fish and crops are washed away. We were also trapped in tidal water for several days.
They also said that we are happy that the water development board has started repairing the broken embankment as soon as the water receded. But we don’t want the dam to break every year and the water development board to work. We want a permanent strong embankment. So that we can stay safe for 10-15 years.
The grocer of the fishing ghat said. Ruhul Amin said that he has been managing his family by running the grocery store at Matsya Ghat. But he is also worried because the embankment adjacent to the fishing pier has been damaged.
Md. Safayat Hossain and Md. Jamis Uddin said that all the people of North and South Sakuchiar Union travel through Dasherhat Beri Dam road. But since the embankment was damaged in Cyclone Rimal, no transport is now able to ply. Also due to the damage of the dam, the market at the fish wharf is now at extreme risk. They demanded the government to quickly repair this embankment as well as a permanent strong embankment in Manpura Upazila.
Hasan Mahmud, Executive Engineer of Bhola Water Development Board (Paubo) Division-2, said that immediately after the cyclone, they started repairing 12 broken points and 3 kilometers of damaged dam. The repair work will be completed in the next few days. He also assured to construct permanent dams under Mujibnagar and Manpura Coastal Dam Rehabilitation, Drainage System Development and Bank Conservation Project within the shortest possible time.
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