Upper Surma-Kushiyara Project
60pc work done in 10 yrs
The much talked flood control and irrigation scheme titled “Upper Surma-Kushiyara Project” in Sylhet sees only about 60 per cent of work done in 10 years, although it was scheduled to complete by 2005-2006 fiscal year (FY).
The Water Development Board (WDB) began work for the five-year project along the north-eastern border of the district in 2001-2002 FY with an estimated cost of Tk 111 crore, said sources at WDB in Sylhet.
But lack of timely allocation for the project, its repeated revisions and delay in land acquisition delayed its implementation while repeated floods, water stagnation and large-scale erosion caused huge damage to households and croplands along the banks of Surma and Kushiyara rivers during the last one decade.
As per revision for the fifth time in 2009-2010 FY, which also included trimming of different features of the project, it was set to complete by June this year with an estimated cost of Tk 132 crore, Shailen Chandra Paul, executive engineer WDB in Sylhet, told this correspondent a few days ago.
“About 60 per cent of the project work has been done and Tk 74 crore spent so far. At least two more years will be needed to complete the remaining 40 per cent work,” he said.
Successful implementation of the project would protect 54,000 hectares of land from recurrent flooding while 10,000 hectares would get irrigation facilities, he said.
"Tk 15 crore was sanctioned for the 2010-2011 fiscal for construction of a pump house in Zakiganj, excavation of 26 km irrigation canal and construction of 14 regulators in addition to repair of 26 km embankment. We hope to complete the works in next two months,” he added.
The 'Upper Surma-Kushiyara Project' was designed for flood control, improvement of drainage system and introducing better irrigation facilities in vast areas of Zakiganj, Kanaighat, Beanibazar, Golapganj and Sylhet Sadar upazilas.
It begins from the starting point of Surma and Kushiyara at Amolshid border in Zakiganj upazila and runs up to Golapganj and Sylhet Sadar along the banks of the two rivers.
Originated in Assam of India, the Barak River bifurcates and enters Bangladesh as Surma and Kushiyara at Amolshid.
Water rolling down through these rivers from the upstream causes flood in huge areas of Sylhet region during the period from April to October almost every year.
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