Transmission tower gets devoured by eroding Padma in Kushtia

A power transmission tower, connected to the national grid, collapsed and got submerged into the Padma River in Kushtia due to severe erosion.

"Around 11am today (19 September), the 32-number power transmission tower got submerged into the Padma River in the Sahebnagar area of Kushtia's Mirpur Upazila," Anand Kumar, deputy general manager (DGM) of Kushtia Rural Electrification Board's Mirpur Zonal Office told The Business Standard.

However, the collapse of the tower will not cause any electricity shortage in Mirpur upazila or the surrounding areas, the DGM added.

"The line had been shut down earlier due to the risk of river erosion. The collapse of the tower will not have a significant impact on the national grid," said Nurzaman, in-charge of the Bheramara national grid.

Additionally, four other towers and thousands of homes are at risk of collapsing as Padma erosion continues.

In protest of lack of government steps to prevent the river erosion, local residents today blocked the Kushtia-Rajshahi highway from 11am to 3pm.

Rashedur Rahman, executive engineer of the Kushtia Water Development Board, told TBS that they are trying to prevent river erosion by filling the Padma River with geo-bags and geo-tubes every day.

"A Tk1,472 crore government project has been taken up for the construction of a permanent embankment. A meeting will be held with contractors to expedite the work."