Guwahati:
The almost completion of a dike along the Muhuri River in Bangladesh has fueled the fear of flooding in the South Tripura district. Four Panchayats in Bilonia SubDivision have expressed their concern about the dike that is reportedly violating border agreements between the two countries. In the past, similar concerns were also addressed by the residents of Kailashahar in the Unakoti district.
The dike is reportedly built within just 10-50 meters from Indian territory in certain pieces of the zero point between the two countries. This has serious concern about threatening floods while the monsoon is depositing.
More than 500 families in Netaji Subhash Chandra Nagar and Ishan Chandra Nagar Gram Panchayats on the northern bank of the Muhuri river run the risk of being submerged under water when the water levels rise. Bilonia Town is also confronted with the threat of flooding.
According to the locals, the dike that is being built by Bangladesh is 15-20 feet high and extends approximately 1-1.5 km. The absence of drain outputs in the structure has caused panic in residents.
International border protocols mandate that no permanent structure needs to be set up within 150 meters from border pillars, but reports suggest that construction work is carried out the clock with a dozen excavators and bulldozers.
The Border Security Force, which monitors the boundaries between the two nations, has sent a report on this development to the Ministry of the Interior, says sources.
This has increased tensions along the border between India-Bangladesh with the villagers that demand immediate intervention from the district administration of South Tripura and the central government. They are now anxiously waiting for preventive action to prevent a disaster.
Villagers have insisted that the dike is being dismantled or that appropriate draina routes are being recorded to prevent possible floods.
A similar problem had recently surfaced in the subdivision of Kailashahar of the District Unakoti, where the locals had raised an alarm about Bangladesh who set a dike. This had led to fears of flooding and cross -border flood risks.
These back-to-back incidents with Bangladesh, which shares a limit of 857 km with Tripura, suggest a growing pattern that requires immediate attention from the government. Residents in the affected regions have emphasized that only fast and solid action can save their homes, country and resources of existence from the impending threat of flooding.
