At a cost of Tk 3,056 crore, the government is going to construct 600-kilometre dam in the country’s different coastal areas, including Khulna, Bagerhat and Satkhira for the safety of the people of those areas and their crops from the natural disasters, said sources.
According to sources in the Ministry of Water Resources, the existing dams in the coastal areas are no more capable to protect the people and properties from the natural disasters such as super cyclones Aila, Amphan and floods in different times. Most of the dams have already been damaged by the cyclones and floods. On the other hand some other dams are not high enough. As a result, saline water enters into farming land.
As those dams have not been repaired or reconstructed, people, crops and properties in the areas are now at severe risk of any disaster, sources said.
Officials concerned said dams in those areas were constructed with a 60-year old design in 1960. Height of those dams are less than 10 feet. But, the height of the waves during the Aila and Amphan were 12 to 15 feet. As a result, none of those dams could save the area from cyclones.
Sources in the Water Resources Ministry said that the dam needs to be rebuilt, many dams need to be reconstructed with more height. Otherwise, natural disasters such as Ampan could again cause major damage to the coastal areas. For this, a total of three projects are being taken in Khulna, Satkhira and Bagerhat areas. The three projects will be implemented in the form of Coastal Dam Development Project Phase.
According to the ministry, those projects will cost a total of Tk 3,056 crore. Of them, Tk 1,200 crore will be spent in the first phase, Tk 900 crore in the second phase and Tk 956 crore in the last or third phase.
Mantu Kumer Ghosh, the joint chief executive of the Water Resources Ministry, said, “Dams which have become weakened during the Amphan should be rebuilt. So, three separate projects have been taken for Khulna, Satkhira and Bagerhat coastal areas.
“Those projects have been taken with a view to protecting people and properties of those areas” he said.