Villagers themselves try to save themselves

Locals set bamboo pilings through voluntary service on the bank of the Dharla at Etapota village in Mogholhat union under Lalmonirhat Sadar upazila to save their homesteads and farmlands from erosion and flooding. PHOTO: STAR

Villagers have at last built 13 structures on the dyke by piling bamboos to save themselves from erosion by the river Dharla at Etapota under Mogholhat union in Sadar upazila.

The Water Development Board (WDB) provide only technical support during building the structures.

Locals said, as the WDB did not respond to the appeal for building those at government expenditure, the villagers  themselves took the initiative.

“We have used 520 bamboos to build 13 pilings on half a kilometre embankment of the river and these are expected to save us from flood water and erosion,” said a villager.

Zahurul Haque, an affected farmer at Etapota village said, “We went door to door to collect bamboos and then built the structures to save our croplands, homesteads."

Amzad Hossain, another victim, said local people went to WDB several times but it remained reluctant showing the cause of fund constraints.

“At least 200 families at the villages have been affected by flood water and 70 families  rendered homeless due to river erosion in the last two weeks,” he said, adding none got any help from the government till yesterday noon.

Sub-Assistant Engineer of WDB in Kurigram Zone, Farooque Hossain, said due to fund constraints, WDB officials could not bear the expenditure for bamboo piling but they provided technical support.

“WDB has already sent a letter to the authorities concerned seeking fund for building permanent structures on the spot,” he said.