Gates of Gojaldoba Barrage in India Opened
Thousands marooned as Teesta crosses danger mark
Our Correspondent, Nilphamari
At least 10,000 people have became marooned in Teesta shoals and low lying areas of Dimla and Jaldhaka upazilas as the river swelled following opening of all gates of Gajoldoba barrage in the upstream in India. The river started swelling Wednesday when the gates were opened to release water of rein-fed rivers across the border, Water Development Board officials in Dimla said. Indian authorities did not give any prior information to Bangladeshi officials at Dalia before opening all the gates of Gajoldoba barrage, they said. The river was flowing 3 cm above the danger mark at Teesta barrage point yesterday, WDB Executive Engineer in Dalia Atiqur Rahman said. With the rise of Teesta, all its tributaries in Nilphamari including Charal Kanta, Deunai, Buri Teesta, Buri Khora, Jamuneswari and Panga have also swelled, inundating vast areas. The worst affected villages are Purba Kharibari, Char Khari Bari, Kisamot Chhatnai, Doholpara, Baishpukur, Bhasanir Char, Fakrater Char, Jharsingesswar in Dimla upazila and Bhavan Chur and Gopaljhar in Jaldhaka upazila. Most of the houses in those areas have gone under 2 to 3 feet water, local officials said. The heavy current of water has made the Teesta embankment vulnerable at Bhavan Char and Gopal Jhar points in Jaldhaka upazila, WDB officials said. The main embankment is also being affected at Jharsingesswar village in Dimla. Concrete blocks are being dumped to protect it, they said. If the embankment is damaged, more areas in Jaldhaka and Dimla upazilas will go under water. About 200 families have shifted to safer places on the right embankment of Teesta river and to nearby schools and madrashas, upazila administration officials said. Crisis of drinking water and food is prevailing in the affected areas. The government has allotted 10 tonnes of rice for the affected people but it is yet to be distributed, they said. Dimla Upazila Nirbahi Officer Mezbahul Haque visited the affected areas and told the affected people that all possible steps would be taken to help them. Atiqur Rahman said that there is no possibility of the Teesta barrage being effected by the sudden onrush of water. Other sources however said the remote controlled automatic switching system to regulate gates of the Teesta barrage is out of order for long. These are being regulated manually, now.
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