Tk 5.7cr lifeline for ‘haor’ rivers

Rivers in haor areas may get a new lease of life at a cost of Tk 5.70 crore. These rivers need to be dredged immediately to maintain navigability and ecological balance to save crops from flood. The riverbeds are silted to such an extent that they cannot contain the water flow, particularly during the rainy season. The rivers overflow the banks, causing floods and flash floods, and damage crops, fisheries, and property. Against this backdrop, the authorities concerned has decided to conduct a study to assess the situation to restore the rivers back to life and spur the development of ‘haor’ areas. The Centre for Environmental and Geographic Information Services (CEGIS) is likely to conduct the study, according to sources.

A large number of people in Habiganj, Sunamganj, Sylhet, Moulvibazar, Kishoreganj, Netrokona, and Brahmanbaria districts will benefit from the project. According to the proposal, the study will cover the Meghna, Khowai, Rakti, Sutang, Baulai, Surma, Kangsha, Jadukata, Pagla, Buri, Jamuna, Titas, Mogra, Manu, Kalni, Kushiyara, Jujnal, and Karangi rivers.

The main objectives of the Tk. 5.70-crore project are to develop the drainage and irrigation management, increase the water-retention ability of the wetlands, give a boost to the tourism industry, increase the number of cargo and passenger launch services, build port facilities and increase navigability in the ‘haor’ areas, said Saidur Rahman, superintendent engineer of the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA), yesterday.

“A massive dredging project will be taken up after the completion of the feasibility study in the rivers of the ‘haor’ areas. The navigability of these rivers will be enhanced by removing the silt and minimising drainage congestion. This would also encourage tourism in the ‘haor’ areas.  Besides, irrigation and landing facilities will also be developed by capital dredging in the ‘haor’ areas,” he said in reply to a query.

The Directorate of Bangladesh Haor and Wetland Development has given the responsibility of dredging the rivers in the ‘haor’ areas to BIWTA, he added.

“Before preparing the project profiles, the study has to be completed. It is not possible to implement the project and dredging work without a study. We have to decide how much to dredge on the basis of the study,” said Saidur Rahman.The study proposal was sent to the shipping ministry following a meeting of the scrutiny committee held on August 8, he added.  “We'll start the study after

getting an approval from the shipping ministry, and it’ll be completed by April 2018,” he said in reply to a query. According to the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE), boro crop was cultivated in 0.29 million hectares of haor areas in Sunamganj, Habiganj, Sylhet, Moulvibazar, Netrakona, and Kishoreganj districts, but flash floods in April damaged most of the crop.

Experts said that crops, fisheries, and livestock in the haor areas were damaged due to the deposition of a huge amount of silt and a prolonged lack of dredging.

Tk 5.7cr lifeline for haor rivers

Rivers in haor areas may get a new lease of life at a cost of Tk 5.70 crore. These rivers need to be dredged immediately to maintain navigability and ecological balance to save crops from flood. The riverbeds are silted to such an extent that they cannot contain the water flow, particularly during the rainy season. The rivers overflow the banks, causing floods and flash floods, and damage crops, fisheries, and property. Against this backdrop, the authorities concerned has decided to conduct a study to assess the situation to restore the rivers back to life and spur the development of haor areas. The Centre for Environmental and Geographic Information Services (CEGIS) is likely to conduct the study, according to sources. A large number of people in Habiganj, Sunamganj, Sylhet, Moulvibazar, Kishoreganj, Netrokona, and Brahmanbaria districts will benefit from the project. According to the proposal, the study will cover the Meghna, Khowai, Rakti, Sutang, Baulai, Surma, Kangsha, Jadukata, Pagla, Buri, Jamuna, Titas, Mogra, Manu, Kalni, Kushiyara, Jujnal, and Karangi rivers. The main objectives of the Tk. 5.70-crore project are to develop the drainage and irrigation management, increase the water-retention ability of the wetlands, give a boost to the tourism industry, increase the number of cargo and passenger launch services, build port facilities and increase navigability in the haor areas, said Saidur Rahman, superintendent engineer of the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA), yesterday. A massive dredging project will be taken up after the completion of the feasibility study in the rivers of the haor areas. The navigability of these rivers will be enhanced by removing the silt and minimising drainage congestion. This would also encourage tourism in the haor areas. Besides, irrigation and landing facilities will also be developed by capital dredging in the haor areas, he said in reply to a query. The Directorate of Bangladesh Haor and Wetland Development has given the responsibility of dredging the rivers in the haor areas to BIWTA, he added. Before preparing the project profiles, the study has to be completed. It is not possible to implement the project and dredging work without a study. We have to decide how much to dredge on the basis of the study, said Saidur Rahman.The study proposal was sent to the shipping ministry following a meeting of the scrutiny committee held on August 8, he added. Well start the study after getting an approval from the shipping ministry, and itll be completed by April 2018, he said in reply to a query. According to the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE), boro crop was cultivated in 0.29 million hectares of haor areas in Sunamganj, Habiganj, Sylhet, Moulvibazar, Netrakona, and Kishoreganj districts, but flash floods in April damaged most of the crop. Experts said that crops, fisheries, and livestock in the haor areas were damaged due to the deposition of a huge amount of silt and a prolonged lack of dredging.