'Flood' in dry season
The water that accumulates in 15 large waterbodies in the area covering 21 villages can not be drained out as the lone sluice gate at Balitha is inoperative because the canal has been choked, local people said. The sluice gate was built in early 70s to allow rainwater to flow into the Marichchap river.
Life of over one lakh farmers in the area have become miserable as they can not grow any crop, even in the wet season. In most of the years, Aman crop is damaged due to flooding as the rainwater can not pass.
The Marichchap river is also losing navigability due to massive deposit of silt because of less flow of water.
Neither local people's representatives nor the administration took any initiative to remove the stagnant water despite repeated appeals, the farmers said during a visit by this correspondent on Saturday.
"After the loss of Aman crop, we hoped to cultivate IRRI-Boro, wheat and winter vegetables this year, but that seems to be a far cry as the lands will not be dry until the Bangla month of Falgoon ", said farmer Abdur Razzak of Fingri village.
Abul Khair, a freedom fighter and former chairman of Fingri Union Parishad, said officials of Water Development Board (WDB) and the local administration were approached several times to take steps to remove the stagnant water, but to no effect.
On contact, Belayet Hossain, Deputy Director of Satkhira Agriculture Extension Ddepartment, admitted the grave situation in the area and said the authorities concerned were urged to take steps but nothing has been done.
While to talking to this correspondent, Satkhira Water Development Board Executive Engineer Mosharraf Hossain said the sluice gate is now inoperative as the riverbed has risen due to deposit of silt. "The problem will not be removed until dredging of the river".
He however said steps will be taken to remove the stagnant water.
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