Bagerhat Correspondent :
The construction work of durable embankment of Water Development Board under polder No. 35/1 in the cyclone Sidr battered Sharankhola Upazila in Bagerhat district at a cost of Tk.300 crore funded by the World Bank.
The locals apprehended that about the longevity of this durable and high raised embankment as there is no allocation of fund in the budget of the mega project to train (control) the river . A Chinese construction farm named CHW is constructing the long cherished durable and high raised embankment in Sharankhola Upazila after long 9 years of the devastating cyclone Sidr that swept over the area on November 15 in the year 2007 resulting the death of more than one thousand people, several thousand cattle heads and damaged properties worth Taka several hundred crores. After the incident people of the area strongly urged the Government . to construct a durable embankment to save them from the natural calamities. Considering the demands of the people premier Sheikh Hasina directed the authorities concerned to construct the durable embankment there to save the people of the Upazila from natural disasters.
Shyamal Kumar Dutta, Engineer of the Project disclosed, Chinese company will complete the Mega project within 3 years at a cost of Tk.300 crore funded by the World Bank. The project includes 63.2 kilometer long embankment,11.75 kilometer CC block on the bank of the river Baleswar, 15 drainage, 17 flashing sluice gates and 5 normal sluice gates. The project includes only 1.5 meter works to control the rivers. It is quite insufficient to control the rivers. So, the local people apprehend that if the emphasis is not given on controlling of the river the desired result of the project may not be achieved fully.
It may be mentioned here that on November 14 after noon, 300 -feet long under construction embankment along with CC blocks of the Water Development Board at Bogi New Gate point was suddenly collapsed in the river Baleswar causing panic among the local people.
Md. Abdul Hannan, Executive Engineer of CEIP Project, Khulna told, training (controlling) of the river is a very important factor. As the mega project is being implemented with the financial support of the World Bank the matter should be placed before the Bank through the consulting farm and if the extra allocation is granted by the same (bank) the work for training (controlling) of the river can be done.
