Over 22,000 people may fall prey to erosion by the Jamuna, Ganges and Padma rivers this year, according to a report of Centre for Environmental and Geographic Information Services (CEGIS).In its report, CEGIS, an organisation engaged in erosion prediction, also says that 2,200 hectares of land, 338 hectares of settlement, 5,960 metres of active embankment and 7.5 kilometre roads could be eroded by three mighty rivers in the current year.
Besides, 48 educational institutions, 35 mosques, six markets, one government and three non-government offices, and four health centres are under threat of being diminished by the rivers in 2013, added the report.
The report was disseminated at a seminar titled, ‘Erosion Prediction 2013 for the Jamuna, the Ganges and the Padma’, jointly organised by CEGIS and Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) in the capital’s Brac Centre Inn.
Water Resources Minister Ramesh Chandra Sen MP, senior secretary of the Water Resources Ministry Shaikh Altaf Ali and M Abdul Quddus of BWDB, among others, addressed the seminar presided over by BWDB director generalM Azizul Haque.
In his speech, Ramesh Chandra Sen stressed the need for raising awareness among people about the river erosion to reduce probable losses.
He also urged all to work together to save the rivers.
According to the CEGIS report, the three rivers — Jamuna, Ganges and Padma — eroded about 3,690 hectares of land, 585 hectares of settlement, 2.3 km active embankment and 8.7 kilometres roads in 2012.
Apart from that, the rivers washed away 23 educational institutions, 20 mosques, two government and non-government offices and two health centres last year.
At the seminar, CEGIS officials M Wajit Ullah, Dr Maminul Haque Sarkar and Nazneen Akhtar presented three keynote papers on the river erosion.UNB
