Garai dredging: Tk 475 crore set to go down drain

The mega project to dredge the Garai River in Kushtia seems to be heading towards an utter failure for mismanagement.
Unplanned dredging of the river and unabated sand lifting from it have created apprehension about the failure of the scheme letting its investment of Tk 475 crore go to waste without coming to the actual benefit.
After lifting the sand from the river, the workers put it along the riverside, which being washed away by rain and strong current again falls into the river, creating piles of slit in the riverbed.
The dredging work in the Garai was started in 1996 during the tenure of the then Awami League government to restore navigability of the river, involving Tk 420 crore.
But due to lack of proper management the work remained incomplete.
Later the second phase of the project work was started by the present Awami League-led 14-party alliance government in 2011 at a cost of Tk 950 core.
Chinese company, Chaina Harbour, got the work order to do the dredging work in 30 kilometre area from Talbaria to Khoksha upazila of Kushtia.
TK 130 crore was spent in the fiscal 2010-11 for the project.
About 78.96 lakh cubic metres of sand was lifted during the period.
A total of Tk 75 crore was shown as expenditure for the fiscal 2011-12 and about 54.36 lakh cubic metres of sand was lifted while Tk 17 crore shown as expenditure for 13km dredging work in the current fiscal (2013-14).
According to the Water Development Board, a total of 16.75 lakh cubic metres of sand has been lifted in the three fiscal years, which cost an estimated Tk 222 crore.
An official concerned of the WDB said the total project expenditure, including that for purchase of two dredger machines, stands at Tk 475 crore.
Coming to know about the irregularities in the project work, deputy commissioner Sayed Belal Hossain visited the spot.
He also sent a letter in this regard to the senior secretary of the water resources ministry on January 31 this year.
Some officials of the WDB said unplanned dredging work of the Garai has become a threat to the inhabitants of the Mangalbaria area in the town as a crack has developed in a groin dam.
Hasan Ali, a resident of Haripur village on the bank of the Garai, said the workers put the sand lifted from the river along the riverside, which falls into the river again being washed by rain.
Anwarul Karim, an environmentalist, said the government took up the Garai river dredging project aiming to save Sundarbans and reduce salinity in the region.
The project seems to turn into an unsuccessful one due to the mismanagement, he added.
Besides, the course of the river will change due to the piles of sand, he noted.