[ALOCHONA] Ichhamati shifts into Bangladesh:Structure on other side blamed

Ichhamati shifts into Bangladesh:Structure on other side blamed Bangladesh has been losing large chunks of land along the border with India at different points of the River Ichhamati in Satkhira district due to unrelenting river erosion.But successive governments did not take effective measures to protect the riverbanks for which the map of the bordering district was gradually changing shape. According to a Water Development Board (WDP) official, over 500 acres of Bangladesh territory have already gone to India due to the erosion of the Ichhamati during the last eight to 10 years. However, local people, estimate that the total loss was over 1,000 acres. Abul Kashem, 45, a resident of Townsreepur, told this correspondent a vast tract of agricultural land, a number of residential houses and establishments had been devoured by the river erosion in the last 10 years. Pointing to a spot in the river, Kashem ruefully said that they had lost their ancestral home to the river due to lack of protective measures against erosion by all the previous governments. The WDB official said about 5 kilometer of the riverbank of Ichhamati, particularly at Townsreepur, Sushilgati, Kharghat and Khanjia was on the verge of going under the river. Local people alleged that the Indian government was taking measures to protect riverbank from erosion by training the river, building groins and dumping boulders and brick-chips on the bank along Sodhpur and Jalalpur areas in 24 Parganas.They also alleged that many brick kilns were built on the Ichhamati riverbank under the patronage of the Indian government on condition that the proprietors of the kilns would dump factory wastes on their side of the bank. The WDB official said due to river training conducted by India for years the course of the river was being diverted towards Bangladesh territory and char lands were emerging on the Indian side. The Indian nationals were occupying the newly emerged land and building infrastructures, thus populating the areas. According to the Mujib-Indira Treaty signed in 1974, the midstream of border-rivers defines the boundaries of the two countries. The WDB official said Bangladesh has so far built 6.80 kilometers of permanent embankment on the bank of River Ichhamati to protect it from erosion. The Government in other places was trying to stop erosion by dumping bamboo-made porcupine-traps, sandbags, twigs and branches of trees as temporary measures.He said they have submitted fresh proposals to the Government to build additional 5.75 kilometer of permanent embankment to protect the river from erosion. Replying to a question, the WDB official said they had to face resistance from the Indian side when they tried to take protective measures against river erosion.He opined that diplomatic initiatives could protect Bangladesh territory and determine the international border between the two countries based on the river course in 1974, when the treaty was signed. Sources said most of the 40 kilometer long Ichhamati, originating from Bhomra land port, remains unprotected on the Bangladesh side of the border http://nation.ittefaq.com/issues/2008/07/06/news0719.htm

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