Around 10,000 people have been trapped by artificial water logging created by JICA funded Matarbari Coal Power Plant. Due to construction of infrastructures by construction companies without considering natural water channels, the streams, canals and creeks were blocked and drainage system has been broken. After heavy downpour of July 5 and 6 this year, the water logging took serious character.
According to the reports, the excavation of two coal power plants have been blocking all 10 sluice gates and natural drainage systems in Matarbari Union, which has further exacerbated the situation. The Matarbari Coal Power Plant situated on the Rangakhali Khal, which is a natural channel of drainage system of Matarbari and Dhalghata Islands. During construction works the contractors filled up the canal by land filling works. So the only drainage channel become congested and people fell in inhumane situation.
Locals have removed a part of the embankment on 10th July 2018 for the water to begin receding. However, local authorities of the power plant project and a few shrimp farm owners blocked the embankment again, causing the water to remain stagnant.
After the water logging, the affected community people appealed to the local government (Union Parishad) but they have no resource to support the communities. Therefore, the UP appealed to Upazila level for emergency response, Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) for immediate reconstruction of damaged embankments, CPGCBL for compensation to recover the damage. But supports are yet to come. Contrarily, JICA replied that they are responsible for this water logging because there were earlier evidence of water logging in the area. But there are no historical record of water logging in Matarbari-Dhalghata area. Even nothing mentioned in the EIA Report or any other assessments which can prove that the earlier water logging cases are true.
Japan based Sumitomo Corporation, Toshiba Corporation and IHI Corporation got the EPC (Engineering Procurement and Construction) contract from Coal Power Generation Company Bangladesh Ltd. (CPGCBL) on 27th July 2017 and started construction of power plant on 28 January 2018. A number of newspapers reported on 26 June that the embankment (which is also used as local road) is in risk of breaching and the area can be flooded by sea water at any time (The Daily Inani, 2018). But none of the contractor, executing agencies or financier took it seriously.
The JICA Authority also told that they started working only in 2018 which is not true because Penta-Ocean Construction Limited won the contract from CPGCBL and started working no later than 2 September 2018 (Nikkei Asian Review, 2017). Local people complained that the company started land filing since May 2017 when they even didn't get any contract from project authorities. People's complain is valid because Penta-Ocean got approval in principle in early 2016 (JICA, 2016a). Penta-Ocean's local franchise Azam Enterprise also proves that they started working in September 2017.
Affected Communities
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All the roads of Matarbari and Dhalghata Union has been submerged under saline water. So, mobility, even in emergency has been collapsed in the communities. Thousands of community people lost their jobs as the agricultural lands are submerged. These farmers will not be able to grow crops for next few years due to excessive salinity which has been sucked by the soil during the water logging. Agricultural labors and farmers are in serious situation now.
Damage in Brief
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Villages: 5 Villages (Bandi Shikdar Para, Pashchim Shikdar Para, Purba Shikdar Para, Razghat, Sairer Deil)
Households: 2,000 Households (Approx.)
Population: 10,500 (Approx.)
Death Toll: 3 Persons
Latrines: 850 Latrines
Tube well: 65 Tube wells (out of (40 in Dhalghata and 150 in Matarbari Union) (UDMCM, 2014)
Shop: 6 Shops
Markets: 2 Markets among 3 (Fakira Haat, Mogedeil Bazar Haat and Natun Bazar Haat in Matarbari Union)
Agricultural Land: 70 Acres (with cultivated vegetables and paddy)
Latrines: 850 Latrines
Tube well: 65 Tube wells (out of (40 in Dhalghata and 150 in Matarbari Union) (UDMCM, 2014)
Shop: 6 Shops
Markets: 2 Markets among 3 (Fakira Haat, Mogedeil Bazar Haat and Natun Bazar Haat in Matarbari Union)
Agricultural Land: 70 Acres (with cultivated vegetables and paddy)
Shrimp Farms: 100 Acres
Schools: 2 Primary Schools
Roads: 31 Kilometers
Ponds: 17 (with cultivated fishes)
Recent Updates
Schools: 2 Primary Schools
Roads: 31 Kilometers
Ponds: 17 (with cultivated fishes)
Recent Updates
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- Meanwhile a number of International and National NGOs started working on humanitarian response. Actionaid Bangladesh with its local partners and Start Fund supported around 1,000 affected people with food and non-food items including cash.
- Local Disaster Management Committees conducted a damage assessment and submitted to the Government for emergency support.
- Upazila administration initiated to cut an alternative outlet to reduce water logging
Emergency Needs
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- A campaign to create pressure on the funding and executing agencies for emergency humanitarian response and redesign the project to avoid blocking water channels;
Shaming Japan internationally for financing in coal as one of the Annex-1 Countries which is ethically and legally bounded to reduce carbon emission drastically. - Emergency humanitarian support from different corners to recover normal life of the affected communities.
Contributor
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Hasan Mehedi
Focal Point, Bangladesh Working Group on External Debt (BWGED)
28 August 2018