Crops washed away as Pabna Sugar Mill waste pond dyke collapses

PABNA, Feb 16: Over 3 hundred bigha cultivated land was washed away as the dyke of sugar mill waste pond collapsed in Dashuria of Ishwardi Upazila under the district Saturday. Agitated farmers besieged the Pabna Sugar Mill demanding compensation of their crops on Saturday noon.

Locals and mill sources said the sugar mill waste pond overflowed and collapsed the dyke of the pond early Saturday. Due to lack of immediate repair the waste water of the mill washed away 300 bigha cultivated land of Dashuria.

Chairman of Dashuria union Parishad Md. Aminul Islam Canady said the dyke collapse at about 7.30am Saturday. The mill authority could not repair the dyke immediately. At least 3 hundred bigha cultivated land of Dashuria and Solimpur union was washed away causing loss of Tk. 50 million crops, he claimed.

Agitated farmers put barricade on Dashuria-Solimpur road and besieged the mill officials demanding compensation to their crops. "Farmers have cultivated mustered, onion, cauliflower and several types of dal in 3 hundred bigha field near the Sugar mill. Waste water of the mill washed away our crops. We have lost of Tk. 50 million. We want the compensation of our crops." Among the victim farmers Abdul Hamid, Year Ali, Azizul Sardar said.

Agitated farmers besieged the officials of the mill halted movement of trolley and other vehicles of the mill. At last the authority of the mill and the Ishwardi Upazila Nirbahi Officer rushed the spot and take the situation under control assuring for compensation. Ishwardi Upazila Nirbahi Officer Md. Sanwar Hossain said a five-member committee was formed to find out the amount of loss of the framers. The committee headed by upazila agriculture officer will submit the report within three working days, the UNO said adding that another committee has been formed to investigate why the accident took place in mill zone.