DC leased river illeagaly

Bulbul Ahmed, Natore

Some influential people are cultivating crops, building houses, and cultivating fish in the rivers with life-time leases and temporary leases in Natore. Although there is no provision for granting river leases or leases legally, in reality, such cruelty has befallen the Atrai River and the Mara Gurnai or Mara Gangina River in Natore. The very people who are supposed to take care of the rivers on behalf of the people have given the river leases! People of about 40 villages are suffering immensely due to the problem of water drainage. They want these illegal and illegal leases to be cancelled and the river to come back to life.

While visiting Gobindapur, Badalkhal area of Dighapatia Union of Natore Sadar Upazila this correspondent saw that the existence of the river can be clearly understood. The flowing river Atrai used to flow through here. Over time, this river was named Mara Atrai River. But now all these are cultivated land and privately owned ponds. These influential people are cultivating fish on the banks of the river and cultivating various crops including rice, jute. The question is, can a river be leased? Who and how did they lease or build these rivers? Locals say that some influential people in the area have taken river leases and built them by bribing corrupt officials of the administration.

Abu Motleb, an 85-year-old resident of Gobindpur village of Natore Sadar upazila said, “We saw that everyone used to fish in this river. It was used to irrigate crops. But within a few days, influential people bribed various government officials, including the land office, and registered the river land in their names. Although it is still mentioned as a river in government maps and designs.”

Not only in Mara Atrai, the same picture is seen in Mara Gangina or Gurnai river in Sherkol Putimari area of Singra upazila.

Soleman Pramanik, a resident of Potimaria village of Singra upazila said, influential people cultivating crops and fishes building dams in the river. Crops are being grown in some places inside the river. As the water is not drained through the river, several villages in that union are flooded. Water drainage does not allow crops to grow in at least eight beels. Somewhere, these rivers are being leased in the name of mosques, madrasas, temples, and shrines.

Mohammd Ali Sufu Santu, of Putimari village said, according to the law the boundaries of the river must be determined based on the CS ledger. River leases cannot be granted. They cannot be sold. Land cannot be destroyed by changing the category.

The residents of the riverbanks say that they used to use the open river water for irrigation and fish freely. Now, for about 20 years, this river is being used as a pond and agricultural land without ownership.

The residents of these areas demanded that the river leases be cancelled and the rivers be dredged again. They say there is still time to save the rivers if they try. Due to negligence, the traces of these rivers will not remain. And the people of these areas will suffer. Along with this, they also demanded that those involved in the misdeeds of river lease be brought to justice.

Meanwhile, Asma Shaheen, deputy commissioner of Natore says, there is no legal scope for granting river leases. She claimed that the district administration is determined to cancel any river leases and make the rivers free from troubles.

The locals want the implementation of the law, not just empty assurances from the administration. There is a High Court verdict that what was once a river is a river forever.