Three major rivers of the country---the Jamuna, the Ganges and the Padma---devoured 1,58,780 hectares of land, rendering about 20 lakh people homeless since 1973, a research organisation working with river and water resources said here on Wednesday. A study report of the Centre for Environment and Geographic Information Services (CEGIS), however, said 83,000 hectares new lands had emerged along the rivers in the last 36 years. "The three rivers eat up about 6,000 hectares of land and render 50,000 people homeless every year," Executive Director of CEGIS Giasuddin Ahmed Chowdhury told BSS on Thursday. He said 90,830 hectares of land of eight districts were wiped out due to erosion along the Jamuna river since 1973. Of which, 22,400 hectares were eroded in Sirajganj, 18,510 hectares in Kurigram, 11,810 hectares in Jamalpur, 10,920 hectares in Tangail, 9,220 hectares in Gaibandha, 5,700 hectares in Manikganj and 1,770 hectares in Pabna, he said. Chowdhury said the Ganges river gobbled up 28,390 hectares of land in the last 36 years. The worst river-erosion-hit district is Kushtia where 12,180 hectares were wiped out. It was followed by Rajbari and Chapainawabganj respectively where 5,470 and 5,160 hectares were eroded. Besides, he said, 2440 hectares of land were eroded in Pabna, 1920 hectares in Natore and 1,220 hectares in Rajshahi during the period. The CEGIS executive director said 39,560 hectares of land were swallowed by the Padma in the last 36 years. "The river eroded 9,150 hectares in Faridpur, 8,600 hectares in Manikganj, 8,610 hectares in Shariatpur, 5,850 hectares in Munshiganj, 3,520 hectares in Madaripur, 2,010 hectares in Dhaka, 1,040 hectares in Chandpur and 780 hectares in Rajbari," he said. A huge number of educational institutions, mosques, roads, bridges, culverts, embankments and other establishments were also eaten up by the three rivers in the last 36 years, he added. Besides the erosion, he said, 10,000 hectares of new land emerged along the Jamuna river, 25,000 hectares along the Ganges river and 8,000 hectares along the Padma river during the period. Chowdhury also said the extent of damage by the three rivers was reduced in the last few years due to various steps taken by the Water Development Board (WDB). "Once 10,000 hectares of land were eroded by the three rivers every year which was reduced to 6,000 hectares now due to various measures taken by the WDB," he said.