A problem ignored for long

Chawk Bazar area in Patuakhali town on Thursday, inundated by water from Lohalia river during hide tide. PHOTO: STAR

The most vulnerable areas included Puran Bazar, Chalk Bazar, Kath Patti, Nabab Para, Shimul Bagh, Muslim Para, College Road, Sadar Road, Post Office Road, Munsef Para, where 3 to 4 feet water remains stagnant for a day after the tide.

About 50,000 people in these areas suffer a lot as water inundates most of the houses, shops and other establishments.

Patuakhhali town is surrounded by Patuakhali river on the north and Lohalia river on the east. Water from the rivers roll into the town whenever they swell during high tide.

A town protection embankment-cum drainage project, taken up nine years ago, is yet to be implemented.

The Tk 17.27 crore project was taken up after the visit of the then agriculture minister Mazid-Ul_Haque to Patuakhali in 1997.

The project includes construction 4.20 km flood control embankment and one kilometre wall and installation of seven sluice gates and four power pumps in 38 outlets.

The project is still awaiting approval by the ECNEC (Executive Committee of National Economic Council).

The Water Development Board (WDB) engaged a consulting firm to make a survey to implement the project. The consulting firm--Centre for Environment and Geographic Information Service (CEGIS)-- submitted its report to the water resources ministry in April this year.

Pourasabha Chairman Mostaq Ahmed said the townspoeple held demonstrations on numerous occasions for construction of a protection embankment. They have given up hope as all their agitation failed to draw the attention of the authorities.

When contacted, WDB Executive Engineer Abdul Mazid Mollah said, "We sent several letters to higher authorities to take immediate step to implement the project but to no result".