Completed rubber dam unutilised for months

A 30-metre-long rubber dam constructed over the Ratnai River at Shalmara village of Bhelabari union in Aditmari upazila under the district has remained inoperative, depriving local farmers of irrigation facilities during the ongoing Irri-boro season. 

The 30-metre rubber dam over the Ratnai River was constructed at a cost of Tk 4 crore last year but its operation is delayed as the work for river dredging, erosion prevention and approach road are yet to start due to fund constraints, said officials of Local Government Engineering Department (LGED). 

Besides providing irrigation facilities to around 5,000 bighas of land at six villages, the rubber dam would help prevent erosion by the river in the area.

"Our hope for getting irrigation water to cultivate IRRI-boro paddy on our lands from early this year has remained unmet," said Ashraf Ali, a farmer of Shalmara village.

The instruments of the rubber dam are getting damaged due to delay in its operation, he added. 

Zahir Ali of Durakuti village alleged that low quality materials were used for the rubber dam. 

Abdul Hakim, contractor of the project, said, "I completed the construction of the rubber dam as per schedule and handed it over to LGED in August last year. I have not started work for approach road, dredging, and erosion prevention work as the authorities concerned did not sanction fund for the purpose."

Contacted, Executive Engineer of LGED in Lalmonirhat Mohammad Al-Amin said, "Additional fund for the dredging, approach road, and protection work will be sanctioned very soon and the rubber dam will hopefully see full operation by June this year."

He refuted the allegation of using low quality materials for the project work.