Emerging Teesta-Dharla shoals hamper communication

When almost all the 26 small rivers in Lalmonirhat and Kurigram have already been dried up, the two major rivers--Teesta and Dharla -- have turned into narrow channels due to lack of water flow from the upstream, creating hindrance to the livelihood of thousands of people living in different shoal areas of the two districts.

Miles of shoals emerging in the Teesta and Dharla riverbeds have narrowed the two rivers and are seriously hampering movement of boats on different routes between the sandy chars and mainland.

The mighty Teesta, which was once a five-kilometre-wide river has now turned into a 30 to 35 metre canal. The Dharla river is no different and holds only knee-deep water at some points.

As a result, about 1,200 boatmen and over 10,000 fishermen of Teesta and Dharla rivers basin areas, who depended on the two rivers for their livelihood, have become unemployed.

Many of them are searching for alternative option to earn their bread.

On the other hand, people living in different chars along the two rivers have to have walk five to eight kilometres to go to the mainland.

Villagers said the Teesta and Dharla used to flow round the year only a decade ago, but nowadays the rivers remain almost dried up during the winter season.

Teesta shoal people alleged that lack of water flow and construction of barrage across the Teesta river in India's Gazaldoba, around 100 kilometres upstream from the Teesta Barrage Irrigation Project at Dalia in Lalmonirhat's Hatibandha upazila, are responsible for the poor condition of the river.

"The Teesta now looks like a small canal, and it is difficult for the boatmen to ply boats as there is not enough water in the river," said boatman Aftar Ali of Rajpur area in Lalmonirhat Sadar upazila.

Eight boatmen, who used to operate boat from Rajpur Ghat, are now searching for alternative work to earn their livelihood, he said.

Fisherman Nikhil Das of Shimulbari Daspara village in Kurigram's Phulbari upazila, said as there are shoals everywhere and no water in the two major rivers, there is no fish.

"We have to face huge trouble while carrying agricultural products to the markets through the sandy char lands," said farmer Nazim Uddin of Char Sindurna village in Hatibandha upazila.

Lalmonirhat Water Development Board Executive Engineer Mizanur Rahman said huge residues that comes from the upstream during monsoon are filling up the Teesta and Dharla riverbeds every year.

They need to dredge the two rivers to remove the excessive sediments and resume the natural water flow, he added.