Inadequate relief intensifies woes as flood situation improves
Sufferings of flood-hit Kurigram people abound as relief allocations in the northern district are too little compared to the demand
Local public representatives in Kurigram are facing difficulty as the relief allocations are too inadequate for the number of flood affected people.
They said though the flood allocation is there on paper for upazila to union level, relief material was too insufficient.
According to the district relief and rehabilitation office, flooding has affected around 15,600 families in 65 unions. However, local public representatives claim that the number is higher than that.
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Deputy Commissioner of the district Mohammad Rezaul Karim said that they allocated 203 tonnes of rice and Tk36.67 lakh cash at the beginning of the flash flood. However, a demand of 2,000 tonnes of rice and Tk2 crore cash was sent for the flood-hit district to the ministry.
"The relief items were distributed at union level in coordination with all the local public representatives," he said.
But the union parishad leaders alleged discrepancies in allocation of relief material for affected people.
Meantime, the flood situation in Kurigram district improved slightly on Sunday.
Water levels of the Dharla, Brahmaputra and Dudhkumar rivers have decreased in Kurigram. According to the Kurigram Water Development Board, the Dharla was flowing 47 centimetres above the danger level at Dharla Bridge point on Sunday afternoon.
The Dudhkumar and Brahmaputra were flowing five and seven centimetres above the danger level respectively.
Though the floodwater has started receding, local public representatives said the sufferings of people have intensified due to inadequate relief and poor distribution.
Kurigram sadar upazila Jatrapur Union Parishad Chairman Aiyub Ali Sarker said his area has 2,100 flood-hit families while he has received relief material for only 400 families so far.
The union parishad chairman said he has distributed the relief items.
Chilmari Ashtamir Char Union Parishad Chairman Abu Taleb said he received rice for 200 families Sunday while 3,000 families were stranded in floodwater in the union.
"I will distribute the relief soon. But the allocation is too poor for the flood-affected people," he added.
Begumganj Union Parishad Chairman Belal Hosen said around 3,000 families were stranded in floodwater while he got relief for only 300 families.
Akmal Hossain, chairman of Ballabher Khas Union Parishad, said nearly 5,000 of total 7,000 families at his area are affected by the flood.
"I have got seven tonnes of rice only for 350 families," he added.
However, Nageshwari Upazila Nirbahi Officer Noor Ahmed Masum said they had allocated relief for each union including Ballabher Khas. "I visited the union two days ago and provided 50 families with relief items," added the UNO.
