SYLHET, Jan 13: Although formation if the Project Implementation Committees (PICs) for the crop protection embankments is almost complete, works on most of the schemes could not be started as yet in Sunamganj district for different reasons.
Almost all the 553 PICs were formed as yet except nine in Chhatak upazila, said WDB executive engineer-Sunamganj Abu Baker Siddique, also the district committee's member-secretary, on Sunday.
However, works on 140 schemes had not been started till today, the official informed.
The delay in formation of PICs at upazila level had caused the trouble, officials informed today adding, we hope works would be started by the end of this week.
However, WDB had earlier set the date for starting physical works on December 15 and for completing those by February 28.
It may be stated an amount of Tk 959 million had been sanctioned for Sylhet and Sunamganj. It includes, Tk 934 million for Sunamganj and the rest Tk 20.5 million for Sylhet, he informed.
In total 553 schemes had been selected for execution with a target to saving the Boro paddy in 11 upazilas under Sunamganj. The total cost for these had been estimated at Tk 934.7 million for reconstruction and reshaping works on a total of 440 km embankment, informed the Executive Engineer, WDB's Sunamganj division-I Abu Baker Siddiquee, also member-secretary of the district level monitoring committee.
Highest Tk 1.51 billion was spent for a total 954 schemes on a total of 1347 km embankments in Sunamganj last year.
Meanwhile, Citizens forum 'Haor banchao, Sunamganj bancao' staged a human chain on Saturday afternoon and held a rally at the Sunamganj district demanding immediate start of works on the crop protection embankments to complete things by February. The agitators said the farmers apprehend crop damage if works were not completed by the deadline.
The Deputy Commissioner, also the chief of the district level monitoring committee, said formation of PICs would be completed this week and we would have to complete things in time. Works on most of the schemes had been started.
With the target to saving Boro crops ever year, the WDB has to work on the crop protection embankments inside 37 major haors and outside in the district before the rainy season every year.
In the pretext of large-scale irregularities in the crop protection works in 2017, the region suffered devastating floods and early rains.
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