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The overgrowth of water hyacinth in Kaptai Lake has been hampering water transport operations in Rangamati.
Movement of trawlers and boats is being disrupted due to the overgrowth of water hyacinth in many parts of the lake in Kaptai upazila, Shahid Shamsuddin Ghat, and Kengrachari of Bilaichari upazila in Rangamati.
Students and HSC candidates living around Kaptai Lake are suffering the most. Especially, HSC examinees are often not reaching the exam centre on time as the commute through the lake is taking much longer, reports UNB.
Visiting the area this week, this correspondent found a large swathe of the scenic Kaptai Lake covered with water hyacinth. Seen from a distance, one could mistake this as a lush, green field.
HSC candidates Anand Tanchangya, Subir Chakma and Minti Chakma said water hyacinth has accumulated in the lake like every year. It takes three hours to reach a destination that used to take about three minutes before, they complained.
Ujjal Das, another HSC candidate, said it is difficult to reach the exam centres on time. If authorities don’t take measures to remove water hyacinth from the lake immediately, local HSC candidates’ commute woes will continue.
Boatman Shah Alam said, “Overgrowth of water hyacinth spells trouble for us too, causing engine fan to break often.”
Over the last week, water hyacinth accumulated at the upstream jetty gate. As a result, it takes two to three hours, by boat, to reach the jetty from the island area, which normally takes two to three minutes.
The unabated growth of the invasive aquatic plant is not only hampering the operation of water transport but also threatening fish and marine resources – polluting Kaptai Lake’s water as well.
Didarul Alam, a fish trader, said they are counting losses worth lakhs as they failed to reach the landing centre on time.
Masud Alam, branch manager of Kaptai Fisheries Sub-centre, said traders and the government are counting huge losses as perishable fish cannot be supplied to the upazilas on time.
