Many submerged chars have emerged in different places of Payra River in Mirzaganj Upazila of Patuakhali. The number of these chars is gradually increasing. And the current of Payra river is getting faster. Because of the silt, the river is running fast in the middle of the river. As a result, pressure is on the embankment. As a result, river erosion in the upazila is increasing day by day. Such is the complaint of the riverside people of the upazila. People in the area are spending their days in extreme fear due to continuous river erosion. They are always afraid that their last possessions along with the soil will be washed away with the river. Out of the total six unions of the Upazila, 5 unions are bordered by Payra River. The maps of these unions and Ujelas are getting smaller day by day in the face of continuous erosion of Payra River.
The embankment adjacent to the house of Shahjahan Howladar of Pipandrakhali village of the upazila was broken by the strong current of Pyara River. There is a possibility of damage to agricultural land including homesteads. Meanwhile, one and a half kilometer embankment in Rampura area of the upazila, one kilometer adjacent to Piprakakhali Government Primary School has collapsed. Salty tidal water enters through these broken dams and floods the low-lying areas, damaging the crops.
Also, the embankments of various areas including Golkhali, Charkhali, Mehindabad, Kakrabunia, Bhayang, Rampur and Santoshpur of the upazila are constantly breaking down into the river. A few years ago Payra River swallowed Sundra Kalikapur Secondary School, Sundra Primary School, Rampur Dakhil Madrasa. Golkhali sluice gate and Kakrabunia market are under threat.
Ripon, Rafiq and many others who are residents of the Upazila’s river erosion area said that there was severe river erosion in this area for a while. By two years, the breakage had decreased significantly. Currently, there are many chars in the middle of the river. Since the extraction of sand for these pastures has been stopped for a long time, the pastures have become very large. It carries currents and waves along the edge. Therefore, day by day, the dam is broken and the fossil land is mixed into the river along with our soil. We demand cutting of these underwater fodder and fast construction of durable embankment.
Mirzaganj Union Parishad Chairman Abul Bashar Nasir said, "My union will disappear under the river if the initiative is not taken to change the course of the river by river management and dredging." There is an urgent need to stop river erosion by dropping geo bags here.
Upazila Nirbahi Officer Tanya Ferdous said, I have visited the broken area. Water Development Board has been informed about this. They said that the broken dam will be repaired soon. Upazila Chairman Khan Abu Bakar Siddiqui said that many people of the Upazila have become destitute due to the river bursting.
They are now living an inhumane life as they have lost their arable land along with their habitations. Even the river breach areas were visited by the State Minister for Water Resources. At the same time, he assured of sustainable embankment.
Supervising Engineer of Patuakhali Water Development Board Md. Kaichar Alam said, necessary steps will be taken quickly to prevent the damage of the affected areas.
