Renovation of 17km Jamuna dams uncertain before rains
WDB official says work delayed by contractors' apathy
Construction of three flood control embankments on the western bank of Jamuna River before the monsoon this year has become uncertain due to alleged negligence of construction firms and lack of supervision by Water Development Board (WDB).
Fed by water from the upstream, the Jamuna has already started swelling and Sirajganj dwellers are apprehending the wrath of floods in the coming monsoon.
Floods last year caused damage to huge properties including homesteads, domestic animals, paddy, and vegetables.
Locals have alleged that the contractors in connivance with some unscrupulous officials of WDB are delaying the construction works to misappropriate the money allocated for the project.
WDB authorities are, however, claiming that construction work of the three dams will be complete before the flood of this year.
To protect thousands of people and huge properties including vast areas of croplands and many establishments in the district from floods and erosion by River Jamuna, River, the government took three flood control embankment construction projects costing a little over Tk 19 crore, said sources in Sirajganj WDB.
The three projects are -- 5.88kilometre flood control embankment from Maizbari to Shubhgachha in Kazipur upazila, two-kilometre embankment from Shubhgachha to Simla in the same upazila, and 8.46kilometre embankment from Ranigram to Panchthakuri village in Sirajganj Sadar upazila.
Water Development Board (WDB) gave the work permit to five construction firms -- Siam International Construction Ltd, Sultan Ahmed Construction Ltd, Md Mokhlesur Rahman Construction Ltd, SM Liakot Ali Construction Ltd and Reja Construction Ltd (RCL).
The construction firms had started the works of two projects in January this year, while work of another project started in middle of the last month.
If construction under the three projects are completed in time, about 25 lakh people in nine upazilas of the district with thousands of homesteads, bazaars, schools, colleges, madrasas, government and non-government offices and hundreds of acres of croplands will be saved from the onslaught of flood and erosion by Jamuna, said district administration and WDB officials.
People of Kazipur, Belkuchi, Sirajganj Sadar, Shahzadpur and Chowhali upazilas are badly affected by the flood and erosion every year while in absence of protection dam or embankment, the Jamuna flows over its banks and engulfs vast areas of land, WDB sources said.
Following the havoc caused by last year's floods, the government took initiative to implement the project to protect Sirajganj from the onslaught of floods and erosion.
Visiting Shailabari-Kholishakura site yesterday, this correspondent found very slow movement in the construction work of 8.46km embankment from Ranigram to Panchthakuri in Sirajganj Sadar upazila.
Abdur Razzak, Project Manager of RCL said the work is being delayed as some people are creating obstruction to implementation of the project, as they have not yet got any compensation money from the government, although their lands have been acquired.
Executive engineer of Sirajganj WDB, Nizamul Huq Bhuian said despite issuing letters three times to the construction firms for early completion of the works, the contractors are showing apathy.
If the construction works of the project cannot be completed before the floods, all of the money sanctioned for the purpose will be wasted.
He, however, denied any negligence, mismanagement and irregularities on their part.
Sirajganj dwellers have demanded completion of the flood control embankments before floods of this year.
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