The New Nation - Internet Edition

Our Correspondent, Barisal

Two thousand cores taka funds needed for repair, reconstruction and renovation of embankments and its related establishments damaged by devastating cyclone Sidr in southern and coastal regions yet not placed even after two months.

In a primary assessments it was estimated that Tk. 750 crores would be needed for repair and more Tk.1250 crore would be needed for reconstruction, renovation, and development of height and wide of embankments and related establishments.

The assessment report sent by local officials of Water Development Board to water resources ministry said that 367 kilometers long embankment destroyed and about 2500 kilometers long embankment have been damaged by hurricane Sidr in coastal belt.

Besides 425 kilometers irrigation canals destroyed and 587 kilometers irrigation canals also damaged by Sidr in this region. Forty kilometers protective measurements of water management destroyed and more 25 kilometers damaged by the disaster.

This assessment also included reformation of 10 buildings of water development board to cyclone center and repairing and infrastructural development of 144 cyclone centers in Barisal, Patuakhali, Barguna, Bhola, Jhalakati and Pirojpur districts. Taka.750 core would be needed for execution of these repairing works.

The rest 1300 crore would be needed for implementation of sustainable long term projects like development of height and wideness of 1200 kilometers embankments at the cost of Tk.280 crores, proportionate development of 560 establishments related with these embankments at the cost of Tk.155 crores, construction of 300 kilometers bituminoid road on these embankment at the cost of Tk.175 crore, construction of 31 kilometers long coastal flood protective dam at the cost of Tk.450 crores.

For repairing and reconstructing different destroyed and damaged drainage sluice, flashing sluice, river closers more about Tk.190 crores would be needed.

Water Development Board sources said the then Pakistan government took a project with financial assistances from United States of America government to construct embankment locally known as Bhery Bandh in coastal region at the cost of 38.60 crore taka in 1960-61 for flood and tidal bore control.

The project was named as ' coastal flood control dam' and ended in 1979-80 fiscal after constructing about one thousand kilometers long embankments, 177 drainage sluice,320 flopping sluice, and 272 river closer establishments in coastal region.

By implementing this project 6 lakhs acres of land in coastal areas were saved from tidal bore, flood and salinity and came under irrigation schemes in coastal belts.

After success of that project Water Development Board constructed more hundreds of kilometers of embankments in different regions of coastal districts.