SYLHET, July 29: The ambitious project for early flood control and irrigation in six low-lying districts, known as 'haor region' could not achieve desired progress for reasons even after time extensions.
The progress of the work is only 38.5 per cent in seven years.
However, Tk 2.812 billion had been spent in the fiscal year (FY) 2017-2018, while another Tk 1.5 billion has been sanctioned for the FY 2018-2019.
The project was given second time extension in October last year.
Now it is to be ended in 2019.
Sources said the region has already started getting benefits from the work done already like river dredging, construction of irrigation inlet and outlets, causeway and submersible embankments.
It was launched in the FY 2011-2012 with a target to saving about 289,000 hectares on about 52 haors in the six districts.
The ECNEC meeting on April 12, 2011 approved the project 'Pre-monsoon flood protection and drainage improvement in Haor areas'.
As the term ended in June 2015, it was extended twice, with not at all satisfactory progress.
It was again extended for two years more, said an official, adding, the total project cost was reduced with some changes twice.
The project cost was set at Tk 7.14 billion, the amount was reduced first at Tk 6.84 billion and last of all at Tk 5.87 billion.
Superintending Engineer of the Water Development Board (WDB), Sylhet Circle, SM Shariful Islam said the project is aimed at raising agricultural production capacity through works on 6 haors in Sylhet, 36 in Sunamganj, five in Netrakona and two in Moulvibazar, one in Habiganj and two in Kishoreganj districts.
On implementation, the project would save huge croplands, which go inundated during monsoon almost every year, he added.
Prime objective is to ensure protection of Boro crops against pre-monsoon flash flood and to increase navigability of the main rivers in the region, said the official, adding, it would also improve capacity of the internal drainage canals.
The major components include, construction of regulators, kilometre compartmental dyke, cross dam at Matian Haor in Sunamganj, construction of drainage outlets, irrigation structures, internal canal re-excavation and Surma-Boulai river system dredging.
But, for reasons, like fund shortage and indifference of the executing agency, the project's progress was very poor as yet, he said.
Almost every year, natural calamities like early and flash floods, rolling down of water from the Indian hilly region, incessant rains etc cause damage to Boro crops on huge areas in the said districts.
The low-lying region, known as haor zone of the country is the major Boro producing area. Every year, Boro paddy is cultivated on about 700,000 hectares in the said districts.
Due to absence of the appropriate and sustainable efforts to save the major crop of the region, the poor and marginal farmers suffer extremely almost every year mainly due to seasonal flooding and others.
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