Sunamganj Correspondent :
Repair work of the embankments to protect Boro croplands around different haors of Sunamganj district could not be finished during the scheduled time.
Farmers, as well as the local leaders expressed their disappointment over the negligence of the Water Development Board (WDB) in this regard.
Water Resources Minister Anisul Islam Mahmud during his visit to Sunamganj two weeks ago asked the authority concerned to complete the work immediately so that the farmers could harvest their crops safely before the onslaught of rain.
With a view to protecting Boro paddy on the haors in the district, WDB does repair work of embankments every year in the winter season before the start of the crop’s harvesting.
But they couldn’t even complete 50 per cent of the project work during the scheduled period from December 15 to February 28, a number of worried locals alleged. They apprehend delay in work might cause the crop lands’ inundation by the early rains or any natural calamity like storm and etc.
Executive Engineer of WDB, Sunamganj, Md Afsar Uddin said: “We couldn’t finish the job in time, but about 55 per cent work has already been done.
Besides, we have requested the Water Resources Ministry for extending the time till the end of March.” Hopefully the work would be completed by then, the official added.
The WDB has been doing repair works on 40 haors in the district this year at a cost of Tk 450.4 million. Of the total, works worth Tk 320 million are being done by the contractors while the rest are being done through the project implementation committees (PIC) formed with locals and officials.
Deputy Commissioner of Sunamganj Sheikh Rafiqul Islam said they are trying to complete the work as soon as possible while the UNOs have been asked for a close monitoring.
The WDB has also been asked for timely implementation of the work. Sunamganj is one of the haor (low lying region) districts, where the people are mainly dependent on only Boro paddy.
