Haor people in dire need of food aid

The haor people in two upazilas of Netrakona are in dire need of food aid as they have lost their crops in the fields and fish from their ponds due to flood.

The upazilas are Khaliajury and Mohanganj.

A large number of flood victims are still out of the relief network, said Khaliajury Sadar Union Parishad Chairman Sanwaruzzaman Talukder Jausef.

There are around 5,000 families in the union, of whom 1,985 are under Vulnerable Group Feeding (VGF) and Vulnerable Group Development (VGD) programmes, he added. Many families have so far got relief distributed by the upazila administration, but it is insufficient, Talukder said, adding that all the flood victims should be taken under VGF programme.

During her visit to Khaliajury on May 18, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina asked the local administration to take necessary measures to continue VGF activities alongside Open Market Sale (OMS) programmes in haor areas to help the flood victims.

Talukder said he would carry out the PM's instruction to save thousands of flood-hit families who are now gripped by serious want.

Krishnapur Union Parishad Chairman Nazim Uddin Sarker said there are around 4,600 affected families in the union and 75 tonnes of rice and Tk 9.5 lakh have been distributed among 2,400 families so far. He asked for distribution of more VGF cards and setting up of more OMS centres.

Khaliajury Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Mohammed Tofael Ahmed said 175 tonnes of rice and Tk 71 lakh have been distributed among the flood-hit people so far, Seven OMS centres are running in the upazila headquarters to support the flood victims, the UNO said, adding that one tonne of rice is allocated for every centre daily.

Some 30,000 flood-hit families are in distress and food support should be increased, Tofael said. Of them, 11,725 are under VGF and VGD network, he added.

The UNO said 8,000 VGF cards for affected fishermen families have been allocated in the district, adding that there are about 5,000 fishermen families in Khaliajury.

Mohanganj UNO Mehdi Mahmud Akanda said 69 tonnes of rice and Tk 10.4 lakh have been distributed among 2,300 affected families in the upazila so far. Some 8,500 families are under VGF support in the upazila, said the official.

The recent flood brought havoc on agriculture and fish farming in Khaliajury and Mohanganj upazilas, he said.

Around 20,070 hectares of Boro land were affected by flooding in all 89 haors in the upazilas, said Bilash Chandra Pal, deputy director of the Department of Agriculture Extension in Netrakona.

The flash flood submerged 69,710 hectares of land out of 184,320 hectares targeted for Boro cultivation in eight upazilas of Netrakona, mostly in Khaliajury and Mohanganj, the DD added. 

District Fisheries Officer Ashraf Uddin Ahmed said 118 tonnes of fish, worth around Tk 2 crore, were washed away in the recent flood in Khaliajury and Mohanganj upazilas.