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Release of Excess Water From Teesta Project

Overflowing Nautara River causes massive erosion

Our Correspondent, Nilphamari
Usually a quite and smoothly flowing river, the Nautara has turned turbulent, causing massive erosion at Satjan village in Dimla upazila.
This situation arises every year during the rainy season as Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDA) releases excess water of Teesta Irrigation Project to reduce pressure on the infrastructures, to Nautara River through an escape regulator two kilometres away from the affected village, locals said.
When the BWDB releases water through the regulator, the river swells rapidly and flows with strong current devouring the bank at Satjan village, they said.
Visiting the affected area on Saturday, this correspondent found that within a week the river devoured 42 homesteads, making 225 people homeless. It also washed away 200-metre approach road of Nautara Bridge, cutting off the village from a large part of the upazila.
Sixty acres of cultivable land with newly transplanted amon paddy and vegetables and a madrasa were also eroded by this time.
The erosion victims have taken refuge at their relatives' houses and at a nearby government land making makeshift shelters with polythene, paper and clothes while the people still staying at the village are passing their days amid fear of serious erosion any moment.
Local resident Nurul Islam, also former chairman of Nautara union parishad, said, "The problem appeared after the start ofTeesta Irrigation Project. If water in the Teesta River swells alarmingly, consequently the main irrigation canal (coming out of the river) overflows and the authorities open the gates of the escape regulator at Kakra village. The released water, after proceeding about half a kilometre, falls into Nautara River. It creates violent current causing massive erosion at Satjan village."
This time the erosion is more serious than that of previous years, he added.
Erosion victims Saifullah, 45, Rabiul, 35, Jamiar, 45, Momin, 48, and others saidTeesta Irrigation Project has become a bane of them although it is a boon to many.
It has become an urgent task of BWDB to save the people of Satjan village from erosion by Nautara River, said Aftabuddin Ahmed, chairman of Dimla upazila parishad.
When contacted, Zohurul Islam, executive engineer of BWDB in Dalia Division, said, "We have started making spurs with bamboo and sandbags in the river as a temporary measure to protect Satjan village from erosion by Nautara River. For permanent solution, we have submitted a project to the higher authorities to divert the river course by excavating a new channel.”
"Nautara River is very long and winding. Water from nearby villages flows into it, causing strong current there. We do no t open gates of the regulator unless it is necessary," he said.