PC Das, Sunamganj Correspondent::
The festival of unplanned cutting of fallen sand (holes) in all the haors of the district, including Shalla Upazila of Sunamganj, seems to be going on unabated. In the name of crop protection dams or even at the individual level, destructive activities are being carried out in the haor environment. Although temporary crops are protected by building dams with sand cut soil, the entire haor area is being pushed towards danger in this process, they say.
Farmers and conscious people of the Haorpar.
Along with the implementation of unplanned soil projects by the government, the vast green grasses of the haor are being destroyed for personal gain. This has led to an existential crisis for the haor. If this competition of free cutting of grasses cannot be stopped, the haor will face many problems. Farmers expressed their anger saying that no one is worried about this.
In the haors of the upazila where there are no crop protection dams, the kandas are not spared from the debris of soil cutting. Trolley drivers are freely selling soil by cutting these kandas scattered in the haor area. If anyone obstructs the cutting of soil, the trolleys and the driver gangs attack them. Local influential people are also involved with them. Although the life and nature of the haor are being destroyed in the implementation of personal interests and government projects, no one seems to notice. As a result of cutting kandas every year, the fertile kandas full of sedge, reeds and bushes have turned into ponds and drains. The vast grazing land of the past is now full of holes. The last hope of farmers for threshing paddy, drying straw and grazing cattle is being shattered by the destructive harrowing machines. Most of the places where dams are being built in the river-bound haors of Shalla in Bhatir upazila have become almost devoid of kandas.
Upon inspecting the dam of Bhandabil Haor, it was found that the huge dam east of Shibpur village had been destroyed by an unplanned hole.
On the other hand, from Kartikpur to Srihail village in the shadow part of the Bara Haor
Many of the haors are no longer standing. What little remains in the haor’s banks and ravines is almost on the verge of destruction. The way the roots of the trees and shrubs are being cut down and the soil is being taken away every year in the name of dam repair, the remaining haors are also on the verge of disappearing. This is putting the various species of plants and biodiversity of the haor under extreme threat.
Talking to the locals, it is known that the high plains at the heart of the haor are called kandas. They are created naturally. The hundred-year-old kandas stand guard over the rice fields. This fallen grazing land on the banks of the haor is closely intertwined with the lives and livelihoods of the farmers. Where various species of plants including Hijal, Karach, Varun, Nalkhagra, Dholkalmi, Chaillaban, Ballua, Cane, Forest Tulsi, Forest Rose bushes and other shrubs grow carelessly. The trees and shrubs of the haor provide a safe haven for various types of wildlife including native birds, snakes, chameleons, fish tigers, foxes, beji, forest cats. When these are submerged during the monsoon season, they are known as a sanctuary for native species of fish.
Bikash Chakraborty, a vegetable farmer from Anandapur village in Habibpur union of the upazila, said, “It’s very difficult to live near the river. The river where I used to herd cows when I was young is now disappearing before our eyes. They have dug holes in these rivers in the name of dams and are now feeding cows with cow dung.”
Habibur Rahman Habib, a senior farmer from Mamud Nagar village of Atgaon Union, said that unplanned cutting of grass in haors is causing environmental damage, destroying cow fodder and biodiversity. Year after year, due to cutting of grass, the grass grazing area for cows and calves is disappearing. During the harvest season, the area for threshing and drying paddy and straw is also running out. Cutting of grass is having a major impact on the trees and animals of haors. He sighed and added that this damage to haors cannot be compensated for in any way. Although dams are needed to protect crops, it is important to develop haors in a well-planned manner to protect crops and biodiversity.
Kasmir Reza, president of the Environment and Haor Development Organization, said that the sedges that are being cut to protect the dam preserve the environment and biodiversity of the haor. In this way, cutting sedges and building dams means causing the death of the haor. Through this, long wounds are being created in the haor. Therefore, alternative methods must be followed in building dams instead of destroying sedges.
Sunamganj Water Development Board Executive Engineer Md. Mamun Howlader said, some projects have already been taken up for the dam while maintaining the nature and environment of the ha
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