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Tornado-hit people pass agonising days

From Aroop Talukdar
BARISAL. May 2-1 : The tornado-hit people of Gouranadi and Agalljhara upazllas of the district are still passing their days in agony. Life is still a standstill around the affected areas
Thousands of distressed people who have lost their nearest people dearest ones, houses, crops and cattleheads are trying to console each other. Many distressed families are still under the open sky.
With two morp deaths, the death toll rose to 21 in these two upazllas. More than 700 persons have been injured and 48 persons are still under treatment in hospitals.
According to official sources, about seventy thousand people were affected and 106 educational institutions and more than twenty thousand houses were damaged. Crops of on about 35 thousand
acres of land have been destroyed.
Electricity is still absent In the affected areas as the uprooted electric pojes and big trees could not be removed as yet lines are disrupted.
Supply of relief materials is quite meagre than the requirement. One Kalam Sikdar (80). who took shelter in the Gouranadi college told that within 36 hours he did not get anything except some chira'. Conditions of other shelterless people are almost same.
Different government and non-government organisations meanwhile have started relief operations In the affected areas.
District administration has distributed 30 metric tons of rice. 3.5 metric tons of chira. 75 pieces of sarees and cash Tk 30.000.
Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia visited the tornado affected areas on Monday last and handed over a cheque for ten lakh Taka to the district administration and directed to intensify relief operations immediately.
Two relief teams of Barisal Development Society (BDS). a NGO of Barisal have visited the tornado devastated areas of Gouranadi and Agailjhara upazi las of Barisal.
BDS has undertaken a programme to distribute relief worth Taka 16 lakh in the affected areas.
This programme includes construction of houses loan distribution and assistance for agricultural rehabilitation.
Heavy damage to afforestation
Afforestations along the
coastal belt of the vast southern region of the country to the tune of Taka two crore have been damaged during the cyclone and tidal surge of April 29.
Afforestation heavily damaged. according to Forest Department, in east Dhalchar. Charpatlla, Char Kukri Mukri. Pacha Koralia, Baduarchar, Charpial. Char Sakuchira and Char Fakira and Char Ntjam of Bhola.
At least 65 to 75 per cent afforestations have been damaged in these areas. Besides at least 60 per cent afforestation along the embankments on the bank of Meghna river from Daulat khan to Charfession have been damaged. Hundreds of old 'babla' trees on the long embankment have been up7 rooted during the deadly cyclone. New afforestation in
Char areas have been damaged severely. It is leamt that at least one crore Taka will be needed to renovate these damages.
Besides 30 to 35 per cent old Keora afforestation of about 30 thousand acres have been destroyed and at least Taka 50 lakh will be required for the renovation.
Fifty per cent afforestation of more than 10 lakh Babla trees on about 150 km embankment along Daulatkhan. Tajamuddln. Charfession. Charkachhapla and Char Fakira have been severely damaged which will incur a loss of 1.30 crore Taka for the Forest Department.
According to informed sources, these damage and de struction should be renovated as early as possible to protect the rest portion of embankment and afforestation from further damage.