Encroachment, pollution ruin Sundari’s charm

Once aptly named for its beauty, the Sundari canal at Karatia in Tangail Sadar upazila has now lost its beauty, after bearing witness to mindless pollution and widespread encroachment.

Also known as Katakhali Khal to locals, Sundari flows through Sadar and Basail upazilas of the district, although it is slowly drying up throughout the route.

The canal originates from Louhajang river at Karatia in Sadar upazila and ends five kilometres away at Jhenai river in Nothkhola under Basail upazila. 

Karatia's zamindar Wazed Ali Khan Pannee Chand Miah, locally knows as "Atiyar Chand", dug the canal at the beginning of 1900 to facilitate communication in the area, said several elderly citizens.

The canal was named Sundari because of the beauty it brought to the natural environment at both of its sides.  

Water used to flow through the canal throughout the year, including during the dry season, said elderly locals, adding that wholesalers from different parts of the country would come to the Karatia Market, one of the biggest weekly markets in the country, on large boats.

Students from different parts of the district came to Government Saadat College through the canal, said Alim Mahmud, former principal of the institution.  But today, the canal has been filled up and water flow has stopped at different places. The water has also become polluted, posing a health hazard for locals, he said.

Students and teachers of the college, especially those who live at its hostels, are the worst sufferers of the smell that emits from the garbage dumped into the canal, he added. 

While taking to The Daily Star, Khalekuzzaman Chowdhury Maznu, chairman of Karatia Union Parishad, said all the garbage of Karatia Bazar is dumped into the canal.

The waterbody needs to be excavated to revive its flow, he said, adding that the union parishad can not do it due to lack of funds.

Meanwhile, under the Flood Action Plan (FAP)-20 Project in 1992, the Water Development Board constructed a sluice gate near the source of Louhajang river at Jugni in Sadar upazila. Following this, navigation in the river was completely stopped. As a result, the water flow of the Sundari canal also decreased.

During a recent visit, this correspondent saw different structures, including commercial ones, erected at different places including near the Karatia Bazar, while waste remained piled up near the Karatia Bridge. Although an eviction drive was initiated by the district administration in December 2015, it discontinued for unknown reasons, locals said.

Asked about the matter, Shahjahan Ansary, chairman of upazila parishad in Tangail Sadar, said even though its true that the Sundari canal remains polluted, it hasn't been encroached. Previously the canal was partially cleaned through a project but later, it returned to its previous state, he said.

"The canal is the lifeline of Karatia union. I have already raised the matter at the District Development Coordination Committee meetings," Shahjahan added.  

Contacted, Khairul Islam, assistant commissioner (land) of Tangail Sadar upazila, said they have resisted a recent bid to construct a concrete structure by grabbing the canal.

"Necessary steps will be taken to free the canal from encroachment soon," the official added.