Satkhira flood washes away 8.46C worth of fish, crab, shrimp
Our only demand is building sustainable embankments without wasting billions by repeatedly constructing temporary embankments on the coast, says a fisherman
Satkhira flood washes away 8.46C worth of fish, crab, shrimp
Our only demand is building sustainable embankments without wasting billions by repeatedly constructing temporary embankments on the coast, says a fisherman.
A flooded region of Satkhira Dhaka Tribune
Asaduzzaman Sardar, Satkhira
July 18, 2022 1:03 PM
Satkhira district Department of Fisheries estimated a loss worth Tk8.46 crore as fish, crab, and shrimp on 1,655 hectares got flooded after the protection dam of Kholpetua River broke partially.
The 150 feet embankment, built for the protection of coastal areas collapsed due to high tide on July 14, causing immense suffering to thousands of people from nearly 3,500 families of nine villages in Burigoalini union of Shyamnagar upazila and 1700 shrimp farmers.
Three days passed, but the authority could not yet repair the broken embankment and the damages from the flood continued to increase till Sunday.
“We are preparing a list of the fish farmers who incurred losses and it will soon be sent to the concerned ministry,” said Anisur Rahman, Satkhira Fisheries Officer.
Pradip Raptan of the West Durgabati area said: “Shrimp cages and crab farms were washed away but fisheries department never came to check on us, once the representatives and administration came to the river bank but we ran to see them.”
Manindranath Sarkar, fisherman of the Arpangashia area said: “Our only demand is for them to build sustainable embankments without wasting billions of money by repeatedly constructing temporary embankments on the coast.”
Shyamnagar Upazila Senior Fisheries Officer Tushar Roy said that he went to the Kholpetua river on Friday afternoon to estimate the loss of Tk8.46 crore.
Meanwhile, Sriram, a fish farmer, said: "I don't know how the fisheries department got the calculation of loss of Tk8.46 crore. Their people have not done any supervision anywhere so far. If you calculate, then the damage is many times more.”
Jitendra Biswas of Porakatla area said that people have not received the necessary relief so far. Food shortages are emerging in the area.
The local Union Parishad Chairman said that only five kilograms of rice were given to the flood-affected families after the fourth day of the disaster.
Chairman of Burigoalini Union Parishad Haji Nazrul Islam said that on Sunday, a bag of rice was presented to the Union Parishad as a gift from Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
The affected people have been called to the Union Parishad and given rice while kids were given milk and sugar, claiming that the MP will hand over the rice himself.
Shankar Mandal of Burigoalini said that he felt it was disrespectful to give this food to the UP of the disaster victims directly, unlike the previous times of sending help.
The inundated villages at ward five of Burigoalini union are Purbo Durgabati, Poschim Durgabati, Madia, Alpangasia, Bilai, Kalbari, Ruporgati, Purbo Porakatla and Poschim Porakatla.
Burigoalini Union Parishad Chairman Haji Nazrul Islam said that the embankment could not be repaired yet due to the strong current of tidal water in the river.
“But we made some ring dams on both sides with bamboo for now. If the water flow declines an attempt to repair the dam on Monday will be made by dumping soil and sandbags,” he said.
He said thousands in the flooded villages are suffering sanitation problems and extreme food and water crisis.
Mohan Kumar Mandal, director of the non-governmental organization leaders, said that salt water is as poisonous as acid. The acute shortage of fresh water is intensifying. Freshwater ponds are now flooded with salt water. Cooking, bathing, everything has been stopped in the area.
SM Jaglul Haider, local member of Parliament said that for the affected coastal residents, he will raise the issue of sustainable embankment in this area to solve the problem in the National Parliament.
