Unplanned river excavation puts bridge under threat M
Indiscriminate earth lifting threatens a locally important bridge over the Fanai River in Kulaura upazila of Moulvibazar.
For the re-excavation of around 39 kilometres of the river, Water Development Board (WDB) earlier gave a Tk 16-crore work order to SASI-JV and Ma-Baba Construction, said officials.
Around 12 days ago, workers of SASI-JV started digging soil from the riverbed just beside the pillars of the Fanai bridge on Kulaura-Bhabanipur road, posing threat to the structure, locals said.
A high-voltage electric pole, which is only 10 feet from the site, is also at risk due to the callous act, they added.
Visiting the spot, this correspondent saw workers cutting soil beside the bridge that serves as a link between the upazila headquarters and some 15 villages including Bhabanipur, Bhatuttogram, Paulgaon and Tilashijura.
Some people went to the spot as soil lifting created a deep hole at the spot a few days ago, Ram Sarkar, 42, of Bhabanipur village told this correspondent.
"Ignoring repeated requests from locals, the workers continued the callous act. We put 20 sandbags near the bridge to stop erosion at the spot," said Shamim Ahmed, another local.
"If the bridge collapses, road communication of 15 villages with the upazila headquarters will be snapped. Local people appealed to the authorities concerned to take steps to stop lifting soil from near the bridge, but to no effect yet," he added.
Jamil Mia, a resident of Paulgaon village, said the bridge faces the risk of collapse in the upcoming rainy season if earth cutting continues and repair work is not done.
Abdul Kader, sub assistant engineer of WDB in Moulvibazar, said, "We asked the contractors not to extract soil within 50 feet of the bridge but they violated it. We will look into the matter."
Liton Mia, manager of SASI-JV, said, "We were doing excavation 30 feet away from the bridge. But it caused soil erosion. We will do the work after ensuring safety of the bridge."
Engineer Kamruzzaman, president of Kulaura upazila unit of Institute of Diploma Engineers, Bangladesh, said lifting of soil or sand within 100 feet of a concrete bridge affects the pillars, although the damage may not be visible immediately.
Unplanned excavation also causes soil erosion, he added.
AKM Shafi Ahmed Salman, chairman of Kulaura Upazila Parishad, told this correspondent, "The upazila administration is informed of the matter. We will try to find a solution with the cooperation of WDB officials."
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