Irrigation Canal in bad shape
Boro on 1347 hectares in Teesta project area uncertain
PICTURE TELLS THE TALE: This dried up S5D canal, a secondary canal under Teesta Irrigation Project, has been filled with shrubs at Joychondi village in Nilphamari Sadar upazila, thanks to the callousness of the authorities concerned. They diverted most of the funds meant for maintenance of the watercourse, serving as the lifeblood of a vast farmland in the area, for another purpose. Photo: STAR
Irrigation in 1,347 hectares of land in the upcoming boro season seems uncertain due to utterly bad condition of an 11.95-kilometre-long secondary canal under Teesta Irrigation Project. The situation has arisen due to alleged irregularities in repair and maintenance of the important canal called S5D canal, originating from the Dinajpur main branch of Teesta Irrigation Project canal near Nilphamari bus terminal at Kalitola of Sadar upazila. The secondary canal proceeds through Sutipara, Darwani, Joychondi, Sonarai, Sangalshi Khamatpara and Mazapara villages of Sadar upazila and Dhelapeer and Botlagari villages of Saidpur upazila with target to irrigate 1,347 hectares of land, said sources of Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) in Nilphamari. But adequate government fund for its maintenance and repair could not be arranged due to negligence of the officials concerned, said BWDB sources, adding that a scanty Tk 8 lakh was allocated for the purpose in 2001-2012 fiscal year. Worse still, BWDB officials in Nilphamari diverted most of the money for other purposes. “We got a fund of Tk 8 lakh for repair and renovation of S5D canal in 2011-2012. From this fund we diverted about Tk 5 lakh to build six road barriers on the right embankment of Dinajpur main branch canal to prevent movement of heavy vehicles,†said Khairul Islam, sub divisional engineer of BWDB in Nilphamari. Asked about the justification of diverting the fund while leaving irrigation in large areas uncertain due to inadequate repair of S5D canal, he could not give any satisfactory answer. The fund allocated for a particular project cannot be diverted for any other purpose, a high official of BWDB told this correspondent on condition of anonymity. "Major portion of S5D irrigation canal is flowing through this union and it is in an utterly vulnerable state at present," said Abdul Majid, chairman of Sangolshi union parishad. “Every year, the government allocates money for its repair but most of it is wasted. In 2011-2012 fiscal year we saw some day labourers weeding out grass and bushes and fill some ditches or breaches with earth only for a few days as most of the money was diverted. "A few weeks ago I submitted a written petition to BWDB authorities in Nilphamari regarding the matter as irrigation on 1347 hectares of land is uncertain this year due to bad condition of this canal," he said. Meanwhile, locals said the cost of setting road barriers would not exceed Tk 1.50 lakh as they were built with sub standard concrete without using required quantity of cement and rods. Ananta Kumar Roy, sub assistant engineer of BWDB in Nilphamari division, also responsible for looking after S5D canal, said that repair and maintenance work of the canal was done from Joychondi point to Uttara EPZ point at Sangolshi village stretching about three kilometres by filling earth in damaged places and breaches and weeding grass and bushes with 3 lakh taka out of the 8 lakh allocated for 2011- 2012 fiscal year. Terming the work too scanty, several locals including Anil, 40, Fulchan, 28, and Soleman, 36, of Joychondi village said most part of the canal remained unutilised due to its bad condition last year and the situation worsened further this year. During a visit to the canal on (November 25), this correspondent found that thick bushes and hedges covered the canal near the house of Deben Master at Joychondi village. Breaches and hedges were seen at Sonarai, Sangolshi, Khamatpara and Mazapara villages. Nearly the entire canal showed signs of vulnerability due to lack of proper repair and maintenance. Most vulnerable point was seen at Songalshi Sahapara village where a big breach stretching about ten feet at the 'right embankment' developed, making it almost impossible to arrange irrigation the next season. When contacted, Mahbubur Rahman, executive engineer of Nilphamari division of BWDB, said, "The fund for maintenance and repair of S5D canal in 2011-2012 was inadequate. So we diverted most of the money to other projects. A Tk 50 lakh proposal for repair and renovation of the canal this year is under process.â€
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