river restoration thru capital dredging

Red tape delays seven projects

Bureaucratic tangle is causing delay in implementing several river restoration and development projects in time, it is alleged. The government had undertaken a plan to restore the country’s rivers by "capital dredging" to boost the national economy by increasing their navigability for smooth plying of vessels round the year.   

Against this backdrop, the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) has taken up projects to restore and improve the navigability of the Burishwar-Paira, Old Brahmaputra, Dharala, Dudhkumar, Punarbhaba, Tulai and Showa rivers at a cost of Tk. 3,964.17 crore.

According to the BIWTA proposal, the project areas are Jamalpur, Mymensingh, Kishoreganj, Narsingdi, Sherpur, Dinajpur, Kurigram, Lalmonirhat, Gaibandha and Patuakhali districts.

The main objective is to restore the navigability of the seven rivers so that there would be less waterlogging and damage due to floods in the areas. Besides, farmers could use the river water for irrigation and cargo vessels and launches could ply round the year after the projects are implemented.

The first scrutiny committee meeting on the projects was held on July 28 last year. But the authorities concerned are yet to implement any of the decisions taken at the meeting, sources told this correspondent.

As per BIWTA proposals, the implementation period of the projects was between July 2017 and June 2023. Now, the project’s period has been deferred by one year due to dillydallying by the authorities concerned, the sources said.

 “We are now preparing to recast the development project proposal (DPP). The implementation period will be from July 2018 to June 2024,” Saidur Rahman, superintendent engineer of the BIWTA, told The Independent yesterday (Tuesday).

 A total of 770 lakh cubic metres of silts have to be removed by "capital dredging", 648 lakh cubic metres by "maintenance dredging" and 130 lakh cubic metres by excavator, he said in reply to a query. “The present depth of the seven rivers is between 0.5 metre and 3.5 metres, and it would be raised up to five metres by dredging. Besides, its length and width will also be increased,” Saidur Rahman said.

A total of 200km out of the 283-km-long Jamuna river—the Jamalpur-Mymensingh-Katiadi river route of Old Bhramaputra -- will be dredged and the depth increased up to five metres.

 Besides, 55km of the Patgram-Lalmonirhat-Kurigram-Ulipur river route of the Dharala will be restored by removing 80 lakh cubic metres of silt; 100km of the Jhailna-Lesukhali-Ayla-Payrakunja river route of the Burishwar-Paira will be restored by removing 200 lakh cubic metres of silt; 50 lakh cubic metres of silt are to be removed from the 70-km-long Vandara-Domnighat-Madhab Bati river route of the Tulai; 25 lakh cubic metres of silt will be removed from the 20-km-long Danarhat-Marsaldangi-Sagoni-Dakornai-Jabarhat-Domnighat river route of the Showa and 60 lakh ciubic metre of silt will be removed from the 100-km-long Birganj-Rampur-Kantanagar-Kaharul-Sundora river route of the Punarbhaba.

 “Regional trade will increase after the projects are implemented. The poor people of the project areas would be able to cultivate fish, livestock and other agro-related products,” Saidur Rahman observed.

 

river restoration thru capital dredging

Red tape delays seven projects

Bureaucratic tangle is causing delay in implementing several river restoration and development projects in time, it is alleged. The government had undertaken a plan to restore the countrys rivers by capital dredging to boost the national economy by increasing their navigability for smooth plying of vessels round the year. Against this backdrop, the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) has taken up projects to restore and improve the navigability of the Burishwar-Paira, Old Brahmaputra, Dharala, Dudhkumar, Punarbhaba, Tulai and Showa rivers at a cost of Tk. 3,964.17 crore. According to the BIWTA proposal, the project areas are Jamalpur, Mymensingh, Kishoreganj, Narsingdi, Sherpur, Dinajpur, Kurigram, Lalmonirhat, Gaibandha and Patuakhali districts. The main objective is to restore the navigability of the seven rivers so that there would be less waterlogging and damage due to floods in the areas. Besides, farmers could use the river water for irrigation and cargo vessels and launches could ply round the year after the projects are implemented. The first scrutiny committee meeting on the projects was held on July 28 last year. But the authorities concerned are yet to implement any of the decisions taken at the meeting, sources told this correspondent. As per BIWTA proposals, the implementation period of the projects was between July 2017 and June 2023. Now, the projects period has been deferred by one year due to dillydallying by the authorities concerned, the sources said. We are now preparing to recast the development project proposal (DPP). The implementation period will be from July 2018 to June 2024, Saidur Rahman, superintendent engineer of the BIWTA, told The Independent yesterday (Tuesday). A total of 770 lakh cubic metres of silts have to be removed by capital dredging, 648 lakh cubic metres by maintenance dredging and 130 lakh cubic metres by excavator, he said in reply to a query. The present depth of the seven rivers is between 0.5 metre and 3.5 metres, and it would be raised up to five metres by dredging. Besides, its length and width will also be increased, Saidur Rahman said. A total of 200km out of the 283-km-long Jamuna riverthe Jamalpur-Mymensingh-Katiadi river route of Old Bhramaputra -- will be dredged and the depth increased up to five metres. Besides, 55km of the Patgram-Lalmonirhat-Kurigram-Ulipur river route of the Dharala will be restored by removing 80 lakh cubic metres of silt; 100km of the Jhailna-Lesukhali-Ayla-Payrakunja river route of the Burishwar-Paira will be restored by removing 200 lakh cubic metres of silt; 50 lakh cubic metres of silt are to be removed from the 70-km-long Vandara-Domnighat-Madhab Bati river route of the Tulai; 25 lakh cubic metres of silt will be removed from the 20-km-long Danarhat-Marsaldangi-Sagoni-Dakornai-Jabarhat-Domnighat river route of the Showa and 60 lakh ciubic metre of silt will be removed from the 100-km-long Birganj-Rampur-Kantanagar-Kaharul-Sundora river route of the Punarbhaba. Regional trade will increase after the projects are implemented. The poor people of the project areas would be able to cultivate fish, livestock and other agro-related products, Saidur Rahman observed.