25 crop protection dams develop cracks after rain in Sunamganj

SYLHET, Apr 01: Cracks have developed on at least 25 crop protection embankments in Sunamganj district due to heavy wind and rain on Sunday afternoon.

WDB Executive Engineer-I, Sunamganj, Abu Baker Siddique said sudden and severe shower damaged most of the crop protection embankments in the district. It all happened as some project implementation committees did not complete the "finishing job."

Things will be repaired in days, he added.

Parts of the Madaria embankment and Muktarpur embankment in Chhayar haor in Shulla upazila collapsed yesterday after severe rain, local famers informed.

Some farmers of Muktarpur said works on the crop protection embankments were not done in line with the specifications. That was why the structures collapsed after the rain. The authority should take immediate steps for repairing those, so that farmers would have a safe harvest after weeks.

It may be stated here in total 450 km crop protection embankment on the 42 haors were reconstructed or reshaped in the district during this season. In total 572 Project Implementation Committees (PICs) spent a total amount of Tk 97.5 million for executing the schemes.

Scheme-wise committees were earlier formed with the locals and officials, in line with the government directives for ensuring proper execution.

Earth work on all these structures was completed weeks ago. But, some PICs did not complete the "finishing jobs" on their schemes for negligence or for other reasons, the official admitted.

The WDB officials said a week ago highest 98 per cent work was done in Biswambharpur upazila while lowest progress was in Dakshin Sunamganj with 94 per cent. It is 96 per cent in Shulla upazila.

PIC officials as well as the WDB officials and staff had been asked for supervising the works till the harvest of crops, the official added.

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