Save Kuakata beach project on cards

Water Development Board (WDB) is going to take up a mega project to save Kuakata beach from erosion.

The Tk 200 crore project titled 'Kuakata Sea Beach Protection and Development' will follow the Kerala model of India. Under the project, 'green sea wall' and 'geo-tube' would be set up on the beach and in the sea.

Md Abul Khayer, executive engineer of WDB in Kalapara, said they had completed the feasibility study and design for the project and will submit a development project proposal to the higher authorities for approval.

'Geo-tube' is a sand-filled plastic tube that will be set up around 15 t0 20 metres under the sea to protect the shore from tidal surges. 'Green sea wall' is a special type of dyke built with earth-filled sacks on which grass can grow, he added.

A WDB team led by Chief Engineer (Design) Md Jahangir Kabir took part in a discussion at Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) in Madras in this regard last year. They also visited the 'green sea wall' there and planned to apply the technology in Kuakata.

Prof V Sundor of Sea Engineering Department at IIT visited Kuakata in November last year. WDB took up this project after discussions with him, Khayer said.

Water Resources Minister Anisul Islam Mahmud and State Minister Nazrul Islam visited Kuakata beach on September 1 this year and assured the residents that they would take steps to save Kuakata beach from erosion.

Kuakata Municipality Mayor Abdul Bareq Mollah said the beach is an eye-catching tourist spot but it is losing its natural beauty due to erosion caused by tidal surge. If erosion can be stopped, many investors would go there and the tourist spot would be a very pleasant place, he added.

The government should also take up sustainable development projects to improve the tourist spot, Bareq said.