At least 4kms of area and 1,000 bighas of cropland of Pakuria union in Bagha upazila went into the gorge of the river Padma in last two weeks as erosion by the river intensified during the monsoon this year. Local people said erosion has taken a serious turn following the rise of water-level in the river. They said the most important CC Dam, thousands of dwellings and vast tracts of croplands are under erosion threat. While visiting Gokulpur, Kishorpur and Alaipur area of Pakuria union, UNB correspondent found that the erosion has already devoured about 1,000 bighas of cropland. Local people are apprehending that hundreds of families will be rendered homeless if the CC dam constructed in 2005 collapses due to the erosion. Roimuddin Malitha, a farmer of Gokulpur, said the Padma has broken all the previous records of erosion this year. He said he has lost his 100 bighas of land this monsoon. Mustaq Dewan, another local farmer said he has lost 50 bighas of sugarcane and jute land due to the erosion. When contacted, UNO of Bagha upazila Dewan M Shahriar Firoz said the flood control embankment, which has never been repaired since its establishment in 1977-78, was damaged at many points by the Padma and the river water may enter into the locality any time submerging the villages. Absence of any long-term government schemes to prevent riverbank erosion is the main reason behind the situation, local people blamed.