Payra erosion threatens Barguna villages

Thousands of villagers in Barguna's Taltali and Amtali upazilas are worried about losing their belongings to continuous erosion of Payra river. The erosion has taken a serious turn recently posing threats to six villages in the upazilas.

The affected villages are Tetulbaria, Sobahanpara, Ankujanpara and Jayalbhanga in Taltali upazila and Baliatali and Baithakata in Amtali upazila.

According to the locals, the flood control dyke at Tetulbaria village in Taltali upazila has collapsed recently exacerbating the flood situation.

The inhabitants of Sobahanpara, Ankujanpara and Jayalbhanga villages are spending sleepless nights in fear of erosion.

Fear of losing all their belongings has gripped around 10,000 people of these villages.

Locals said that after the devastating cyclone Sidr in 2007, the dyke has not been repaired much. At least 3,000 people of these areas have been rendered homeless and they have been relocated to Barguna, Barishal and Dhaka.

Emadul, a victim of river erosion of Tetulbaria village, said that he has lost three bighas of land to an eroding Payra. He has also lost his house to erosion.

Fisherman Hamed Ali said, "All of my lands except my dwelling house have been washed away by the river."

"Where will I stand with my family if I lose the shelter?," he questioned.

On the other hand, about 500 metre stretch of the flood control dyke at Baliatali village in Amtali upazila has been damaged due to erosion of Payra.

Although a ring dam was built here by Water Development Board (WDB) last year, it is now under threat of erosion, villagers said.

Barguna Water Development Board Executive Engineer Nurul Islam said necessary steps will be taken to curb erosion at Jayal Bhanga point in Taltali and Tetulbaria village. Proposals have been sent to the higher authorities to prevent further erosion in Baithakata and Baliatali villages.