None cleaning Kachuri river in Amtali due to blockage !
Amtali (Barguna) Correspondent
There have been complaints about the cleaning of 15 kilometers of Kachuripana in the Chawra River and its tributaries in Amtali Upazila. Locals have alleged that the contractor Bashir Uddin is cleaning the Kachuripana from the river, instead of removing it, he will create new Kachuripana. The victims are demanding a quick investigation and action.
It is learnt that 30 kilometers of Chawra river and its tributaries in Amtali upazila are blocked. For the last 25 years, the river has been filled with silt. Due to silt, the water in the canal has rotted and spread a foul smell, polluting the environment. Over the years, millions of people in Haldia, Chawra, Kukua, Amtali Sadar Union and Amtali Municipality of Amtali upazila have been living in a very difficult environment. Conscious citizens and environmental activists have been protesting for the past decade to clean the silt of this river. In 2023, the Barguna Water Development Board took up the project called Subandi Project. A contractor named Patuakhali Bashir got the job of cleaning the silt of the 15-kilometer river at a cost of 3 crore taka.
The tender mentions that the river's Kachuripana will have to be cleaned by workers by removing the roots so that the Kachuripana cannot spread further. But the contractor Bashir Uddin is cutting the upper part of the Kachuripana with a machine. It is alleged that the locals have forbidden the cutting of Kachuripana in this way, but they are not obeying it.
On Monday, a field visit showed that the top of the Kachuri leaves were being cut off with a machine. The base of the Kachuri leaves was left behind. And the cut Kachuri leaves were left in the river.
Md. Shibli Sharif and Nazrul Islam, who live on the banks of the river, said that the contractor is not removing the Kachuri leaves by cutting them with machines, but is making arrangements to propagate new Kachuri leaves.
Sufia Begum said, "When I saw the Kachuri flying, I thought to myself, 'May Allah protect me.' But the mercy that is flying is far away, so how much more danger will I get into?"
Contractor Bashir Uddin's manager Md. Zahid Hossain said, "The water is spoiled, the workers don't want to put it in the river. So, the Kachuri water is being cut with a machine and brought to the bank."
Barguna Water Development Board Deputy Assistant Engineer Md. Azizur Rahman said, workers will have to remove the roots of the Kachuripana from the river so that it cannot reproduce again.
Hannan Prodhan, Executive Engineer of Barguna Water Development Board, said that the contractor has been given instructions to clean the Kachuripana. He will have to clean the Kachuripana as per the instructions.
