Siltation of five major rivers and their tributaries flowing through three upazilas of the district has thrown several thousand fishermen and boatmen out of employment.
Water Development Boards sources said emergence of big shoals and drastic fall in the water level in the rivers Madhumati, Nabaganga, Chitra, Afra and Kazla have restricted the normal flow of water and severely hampered irrigation and movement of water transports under Lohagora, Kalia and Sadar upazilas.
Accumulation of thick layer of silt in the bed of the
Madhumati near Kalna Ghat has been obstructing the movement of
motor launches and boats. The siltation is likely to take a
serious turn in the coming days.
The ferry services on Baroipara-Kalia, Kalna-Vatiapara,
Phordanga-Gopalgong and Bordia-Mahajan routes have suffered
disruption at several points much to the inconvenience of the
people.
Many farmers living beside the rivers used to irrigate land
with water from these rivers. But they are now unable to irrigate
lands following siltation and fall in the water level.
The Narail-Khulna, Vatiapara-Bordia-Khulna, Narail-Bardia-
Dhaka, Narail- Magura, Kalia-Bordia-Gopalganj and Narail-Lohagora
river routes have become worst affected due to unabated silt
deposition that raises the riverbeds.
Vessels owners and traders fear that vessel plying on the
routes might be closed soon if necessary measures including
dredging are not taken on an emergency basis. The river routes
play an important role in trade and commerce in the region.
The low depth of water in these rivers and their tributaries
has also deprived hundreds of fishermen of their means of
livelihood. The fish resources have declined in these rivers in
the wake of drastic fall in water level and emergence of shoals.
JESSORE, Nov 27 (BSS)
