Flood control project in Sylhet limps due to fund crisis
People of 5 upazilas suffer for years
The five-year flood control and irrigation project along the north-eastern border of the district could not be completed even in 10 years allegedly due to fund crisis.
The Upper Surma-Kushiyara Project under the supervision of Water Development Board (WDB), was designed for flood control, improvement of drainage system and introducing better irrigation facilities in five upazilas of the district.
The upazilas include Zakiganj, Kanaighat, Beanibazar, Golapganj and Sylhet Sadar beginning from Surma and Kushiyara point at Amolshid border in Zakiganj upazila and running through Golapganj and Sylhet Sadar along the banks of the two rivers.
Repeated floods, water stagnancy and large scale erosion along the banks of the two major rivers on the Indo-Bangla border have caused huge damage to homesteads and crops in the region in the last one decade.
The Indian Barak River entered into Bangladesh as Surma and Kushiyara in a meandering way at Amolshid border. Water rolling down from the upper region in Assam through these rivers results in flood on huge area during the period from April to October in almost every year.
In last year too, the region experienced repeated and prolonged floods due to the onrush of water from the upstream rivers in the Indian hill region causing a colossal loss to the crops and damage to houses.
Executive Engineer of WDB, Sylhet, Md Rafiqul Alam told this correspondent yesterday that foreign donors were supposed to be involved in the implementation of the project. But unfortunately there was no response from any donor, he said.
The government, realising its importance, finally took the decision to go ahead with the project, he added.
Successful implementation of the project would protect 54,000 hectares of land from recurrent flooding while 10,000 hectares would get irrigation facilities, he pointed out.
An amount of Tk 15 crore has already been sanctioned for the 2010-2011 fiscal year for construction of a pump house in Zakiganj, excavation of 26 km irrigation canal and for construction of 14 regulators in addition to repair of 26 km embankment, he said.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel.
Comments