4-km canal being filled up to build 'model village' in Gaibandha

A good portion of the BWDB canal at Damodorepur in Sadullapur upazila, Gaibandha has been filled up to build a model village there. PHOTO: STAR

The Bangladsh Water Develo-pment Board (BWDB) excavated the canal to remove stagnant water from 6,400 hectares of marshy land. An embankment was also constructed along the canal from Kathaler hat to Baniyer Jan for removal of floodwater. Ultimately the vast area was brought under aman and boro cultivation.

At present Damodorepur Union Parishad (UP) chairman Saidur Rahman took an initiative to set up a model village there under a government proposal. Ninety metric tons of rice were also allocated. Finding no khas land to set up the model village he started implementation of the model village project occupying the BWDB embankment and attached canal. He started the earth-filling work and already filled up a good portion of the canal.

Tap here to add The Daily Star as a trusted source

Local people apprehended that if the canal is filled up completely there will be no outlet of stagnant water during the rainy season. As a result the cultivation of aman and boro crops will be affected adversely, Gaibandha BWDB executive engineer told this correspondent.

In 1937 BWDB undertook the 5-year Sat Damua Katler Beel Project at a cost of five crore 11 lakh taka under the financial assistance of the Netherlands. The project was aimed at providing irrigation facilities on marshy lands in three unions of Damodorepur, Kamarpara and Naldanga in Sadullapur upazila.

Katler beel, Nowshir beel, Forier Damua, Sholgari beel, Hat Bamunia beel, Chalker beel, Chotto Kacher beel, Chander Doba, Digderir beel and Darer beel are also situated under the project area. Previously the marshy lands under the project area remained under water round the year. After construction of the embankment and the canal the marshy areas were brought under cultivation.

People of the three unions urged the Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Gaibandha to stop building the ideal village filling up the canal immediately.