Raiganj, March 9 -- The long-awaited erosion protection work along the Sui River in Itahar, North Dinajpur district, has commenced. The state Panchayat and Rural Development department has allocated Rs 5 crore for this initiative, aiming to construct a 1-kilometer boulder-piling embankment along the riverbank. On Saturday afternoon, Itahar MLA Musaraf Hossain laid the foundation stone for this project at Kachua village.

This initiative marks a pivotal step in safeguarding the livelihoods and properties of residents in the erosion-prone areas of Itahar.The villages of Kachua, Bistapur, Barat and Koarpur, under the Maranai Gram Panchayat, have been perennially affected by the Sui

River's flooding. Annually, numerous households and extensive paddy fields suffer damage, forcing residents to seek refuge in safer areas for extended periods.

The river's persistent erosion has also led to the loss of valuable agricultural land, prompting villagers to appeal to the Itahar block administration for effective erosion control measures. Mojibur Rahaman, a resident of Kachua, expressed relief over the project's initiation: "Every year, our homes and agricultural lands are devastated by the Sui River's floods. We face immense hardships as both our residences and crops are destroyed. In 2023, we, the residents of several villages, approached our MLA, Musaraf Hossain, urging him to implement erosion protection for the Sui River.

We are happy that the work has finally begun." MLA Musaraf Hossain highlighted the project's significance: "Last year, we surveyed the Sui River's banks and submitted a project report to the state government for erosion protection.

We recently received Rs 5 crore from the State Panchayat and Rural Development department.

With this fund, we have started constructing a 1-kilometre-long boulder-piling embankment along the Sui River, stretching from Kachua High Madrasa to Nomonia. The work is slated for completion before the onset of this year's monsoon."

Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.