The collapse of embankment creates panic among the people in any area as it is fraught with danger of extensive damage. According to a report published in the Daily Bangladesh Post on Saturday, the protection embankment of the Second Teesta Bridge in Gangachara upazila has partially collapsed into river, putting the bridge and the Rangpur-Lalmonirhat regional highway at severe risk. Locals are, as is usual, in panic because of the sudden and massive erosion and they fear the major bridge could collapse any time if immediate action is not taken.
According to a ballpark figure, about 30,000–35,000 people travel through the road. About 130 metres of the structure have gone into the river. Earlier, on August 11, about 60 metres of the embankment caved in, creating a 70-foot-deep crater. On Friday nearly 100 metres of the embankment were deavoursed by the river, leaving about 1,700 families in five villages of Lakshmitary union at the risk of displacement. People fear that their homesteads might be washed away, if the erosion further aggravates.
The residents of the affected areas said everyday the erosion is worsening and they live in constant fear. They travel to the city through this road daily. If the bridge is damaged, communication will be snapped entirely. A part of the dyke has already vanished into the river and tomorrow the road itself may not exist, people said in their agony of utter frustration.
Residents alleged that embankment blocks had been falling off for months and the authorities were repeatedly alerted about it, but no effective steps were taken as yet. Moreover, people complained that their farmland is being devoured by the river, but the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) only gave assurances without any work on the ground.
Lakshmitari Union Parishad Chairman said that they had informed the LGED several times and they only said that they would look into it. Now the entire bridge is at stake.
The big question is why the LGED has to be alerted repeatedly when the embankment partially caved in and the bridge is in danger. It should have dawned on them that the protection of the dyke does not brook any delay and they ought to have taken swift action to save the dyke.
Mere assurance won’t do to alleviate people’s plight. The dilatory action while quick response is indispensable may bring about the worst disaster.
Poor quality construction materials in building embankments and other infrastructures is often the Achilles’ heel in our country; but the dyke collapse means a sheer wastage of public exchequer. The defence in support of the argument that it is difficult to predict the nature of the river does not always hold good.
However, Gangachara Upazila Nirbahi officer (UNO) Mahmud Hasan Mridha said the matter had been reported to the higher authorities, and it is being treated with utmost priority. Measures will be taken soon. Meanwhile, LGED Executive Engineer Md Musa said they had already discussed the matter with the Water Development Board and steps will be taken to curb the erosion and save the bridge. A double-quick action and no drag is what people want over the matter.
