Kurigram: With flood water receding, erosion on the bank of the Teesta River at Taiyab Kha in Rajarhat upazila has taken a serious turn, reports UNB. Speedy current is engulfing houses and farmlands rapidly as the water level of the river has been receding for the last two weeks.

The erosion swallowed houses, schools, dam, road, business establishments, mosque, temple in the last few days while positive initiatives by the authorities concerned were not visible to prevent the erosion, locals alleged.

Fanindra Nath, 65, one of the victims of river erosion, said he had been living in Taiyab Kha area for the past 22 years. There were farmlands, pond, and betel nut orchard in this area, which gradually went under water due to river erosion.

“Now I have no place to live. I have taken temporary shelter at the land of Gopal Adhikary”, he added.

The residents of river bank are passing their days with fear of further erosion while several more houses are still at greater risk of erosion.

Maleka, 52, a resident of Somnarayan area in Taiwab Kha, said, “I could not feed my children and sent my son to Dhaka for work and livelihood. Here I have witnessed four erosions one after another.

I bought a piece of land which also went in the gorge of river. Then local people gave me shelter at forest that was also taken away by the river. And now there is no place to reside.”

“I do not want any help but only the prevention and protection from the rapid erosion,” Maleka added.

Tajul Islam, chairman of Bidyananda Union Parishad, said the piling initiative with the cost of Tk 30 lakh to prevent the erosion of Teesta River here went in vain.

It is hardly possible to tackle Teesta erosion with the help of small projects as it demands bigger ones like construction of an embankment, otherwise hundreds of houses will be washed away by the river.

Abu Saleh Mohammad Ferdous Khan, deputy commissioner of Kurigram district, said that Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) is temporally erected bamboo spar to fight erosion.

“We have already spent additional allocation of Tk 10 lakh after consultation with the higher authorities. We are trying our level best to protect the erosion victims.” he added.