It is not possible to prevent erosion unless the river is returned to its original course: DHORA
The Khowai River has been put in crisis by unplanned sand mining. Flood control dams on both sides of the river are facing threats. The river’s course has been changed by the destruction of its banks. Therefore, to find a solution, the natural flow of the river must be ensured. Today, June 20 (Friday) at 11 am a delegation from Dhoritri Rokhhay Amra (DHORA) made these comments while inspecting the damaged dam in the eastern Bhadai area of the Khowai River. During this time, the delegation spoke with the local people.
The delegation, led by Sharif Jamil, the central Member Secretary of DHORA, included, Sylhet Metropolitan University Vice Chancellor Professor Dr. Mohammad Zahirul Haque, DHORA Habiganj Advisor Advocate Mansur Uddin Ahmed Iqbal, Convener poet Tahmina Begum Gini, Khowai River waterkeeper Tofazzal Sohel, environmental activist Saiful Islam, and others.
Sharif Jamil, Central Member Secretary of DHORA, said that this part of the Khowai River is a prime example of how unplanned sand mining changes the course of the river, causing erosion and humanitarian disasters in various towns. It is impossible to permanently stop this erosion unless the river is returned to its original course, not just by repairing the dam or stopping sand mining. He called for a massive social resistance against illegal sand miners.
Professor Dr. Mohammad Zahirul Haque, Vice Chancellor of Sylhet Metropolitan University and organizer of Dhoritri Rokhhay Amra (DHORA), said that it is not possible to get relief from the flooding of the Khowai River by repairing the dam year after year. In the past, the canal created by removing soil from the riverbank to build a dam changed the course of the river at one time. In the Bhadai and Tegharia areas, it can be seen on the ground that a large char has been created in the main body of the Khowai River, while the main river flows through the created canal on the other side. Therefore, it is necessary to review previous land records, taking ecological morphology into consideration, and ensure that the river water flows in the original location.
Khowai River Waterkeeper Tofazzal Sohel said, “The river and its banks have been made risky by indiscriminately extracting sand and soil from different parts of the Khowai River using machines. Floods occur in the river during the rainy season or at any other time.” Many times, the riverbanks break, and water enters the locality. The resulting floods cause extensive damage to human life, property and crops. During this time, the people living on the riverbanks have to live in fear and anxiety. This has been going on for years and years. The crisis is being exacerbated by sand mining everywhere. In this case, there is no alternative to a permanent and scientific solution.
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