Allegations once again have been raised on the dredging of the Gorai River in Kushtia.
According to the allegation, 350,000 cubic meters of dumped silt were washed away in just one month resulting in Tk. 3 crore has vanished into the river water. Lack of efficiency and unplanned decision of the concerned government officials was the cause behind this.
However, the officials have claimed that the issues arose due to delays in fund allocation and a shortage of safe storage space for the silt, and they are also seeking solutions to these problems.
The Gorai River dredging project was initiated nearly three decades ago to protect the world’s largest mangrove forest Sundarban from the invasion of salinity which also severely affects agriculture and biodiversity in ten districts of south-western region.
The government undertook the Gorai River navigability restoration project with an estimated cost of taka three thousand crore. The Royal Dutch government assisted with financial grants on a large part of the project. Massive dredging on Gorai was carried out under the project.
The Water Development Board (WDB) is the sole supervisor of this work.
To sustain the success of the project, dredging is carried out every year based on necessity downstream of the Gorai as a regular phenomenon.
It has been alleged that last May this year, dredging was done downstream near the Haripur Sheikh Russel Link Bridge and in unprotected areas between the Renwick Embankment and Kamalapur Embankment.
The excavated silt was dumped along the riverbank. About 350,000 cubic meters of silt were dumped there, costing approximately 3 crore taka. But within a month, with the rise of water levels in Gorai, the silt was washed back into the river.
According to project sources, the third phase of the Gorai River dredging and bank protection project covers a distance of 16 kilometres, starting from the designated Gorai optic (zero).
From February to May 30 of the fiscal year 2022-23, the target was set to remove 4.8 million cubic meters of silt. Using the project's own dredgers, the government spent 82 taka per cubic meter of silt removal. Thus, approximately 40 crore taka was spent on dredging work of 16 kilometres.
Additionally, a 370-meter-long bank protection work is under construction on the left bank of the Gorai River near the Haripur Kushtia Link Bridge, with funds from this project costing Tk 12. 4 crore.
Chairman of the Hatosh Haripur Union Parishad in Kushtia Sadar Upazila, Mushtaq Hossain Masud, stated that this is a priority project of the government. However, due to various negligence by the Water Development Board officials, the project is being undermined and not allowed to succeed.
Regarding the allegations, the WDB claims that the initial target for Gorai River dredging has already been achieved. Now, to maintain sustainable navigability, silt accumulated during the flood season is being removed from the riverbed every year.
When talked, Executive Engineer of the Dredging Division of WDB, Saikat Biswas, mentioned two problems.
According to his assertion, the dredging work needs to be done every year, but despite repeated requests, funds are never allocated on time. This unnecessary delay disrupts the achievement of the set targets.
He further mentioned that there is a shortage of safe storage space for the silt, and he has also sought solutions to this problem.