SIRAJGANJ, Apr 6: The town protection dyke is facing threat due to illegal sand lifting from the rivers Jamuna, Fuljor, Karatoa and Gohala in the district.
The illegal lifting and selling of sand has turned into a festival here.
A vested quarter has been lifting sand illegally for long by using Bangla dredger and earning lakhs of taka selling the sand every day. The riverbanks have become vulnerable with the weight of the lifted sand. As a result, the dyke, surrounding houses and croplands are in great risk.
Concerned authority said there is a provision to lift sand from specific area. The depth must not cross 10 feet, and the lifted sand should be removed immediately. Besides, the sand should not be lifted from around one kilometre area of any dam, bridge or establishment.
The Bangla dredgers are being used to lift sand, which make 15 to 20 feet long holes.
A dyke to save Sirajganj town from the Jamuna River erosion was built at the river's hard point at Tk 450 crore in 1998. To make the dam stronger, four crossbar dams were also built at Tk 251 crore.
Water Development Board (WDB) already banned heavy vehicle movement on the hard point and declared it as an important establishment.
The authority has hung a signboard prohibiting any activities at the areas. But the sand traders are lifting sand in full swing near the north side of the dam and the hard point area.
Sand is being dumped near the dam through pipes after lifting from the river. For keeping sand at the hard point area, water is flowing through sluice gate and the CC block has gone under soil.
Besides, the sand was stocked one two kilometres of riverbank and dam area from hard point to Gunergati Village. The sand is being transported to different places through heavy vehicles. As a result, the CC blocks are in danger. The locals are suspecting that the town protection dam may fall under threat.
Mohammad Yakub Ali of the dam area said, "The dam is under risk as sand is being lifted and stocked beside the dam. The locals of the dam area are in panic."
Another resident Mohammad Sohrab Ali said, "Though the government earns revenue giving lease of the sand quarries, but the extent of damage for lifting sand is more than the revenue income."
Mohammad Yusuf Ali, a local Ebtedayee Madrasa teacher, is selling sand after lifting by Bangla dredger from Fuljor River at Chawkmanharpur Village.
Locals alleged that the riverbank, houses, and croplands may face erosion due to the uncontrolled sand lifting by Bangla dredger.
Recently locals submitted a memorandum to the deputy commissioner (DC) through Shahzadpur Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Seheli Laila to stop leasing the sand quarry for preventing the Gohala River erosion at Ramkantopur Mouja in the upazila.
The affected farmers of Ramkantopur area Abdus Salam, Kalam Chowdhury, Shamsul Islam and Nawshad Ali said the sand quarry was given lease 12 years back. As the sand lifting has been going on, huge erosion in the Gohala River has imperilled huge croplands, at least 25 cowsheds, and even the proposed land for Rabindra University.
Denying the irregularities in lease, Shahzadpur UNO Seheli Laila said, "We got the complaint and informed it to the DC who will take steps soon."
Member Secretary of Sirajganj Sharthorokkha Sangram Committee Naba Kumar Karmakar said, "A grand festival of selling sand after illegal lifting from different rivers including Jamuna has started. How the sand trading is going on at an important place like town protection dam area?"
District WDB Executive Engineer Mohammad Ariful Islam admitted that the CC blocks near the dyke have slightly been damaged.
"The illegal sand trading is a serious problem for the dam," he said.
He also said, "The WDB and district administration have already started drives against the illegal sand lifters, and the sand lifting in the dam area has already stopped. Besides, sand lifting equipments and two trucks have been seized. Similar steps will be taken in other places of the district."
Additional Deputy Commissioner (Revenue) Iftekhar Uddin Shamim said, "We got several complaints regarding the illegal sand lifting from different rivers. The district administration is investigating the matter. Legal action will be taken if any irregularities are found."
"We have taken legal action to stop illegal sand lifting at hard point area and Kazipur and Chouhali upazilas. The sand quarry has been leased following law. If anyone breaks the law, we will take proper actions."
