Damaged embankment threatens croplands
Hundreds of farmers in Netrakona's Kalmakanda and Barhatta upazilas are facing a serious threat, as several damaged parts of the 10-kilometre-long flood-protection embankment, stretching from Ambari to Hirakanda of Kalmakanda's Pogla union, are yet to be completely repaired.
Funded by Japan International Cooperative Agency (Jica), the embankment was built under the supervision of Local Government Engineering Department (LGED), spending Tk 1.84 crore in 2019, to protect boro fields from flash floods.
However, about one and a half kilometres of the dam, stretching from Charulia to Pathanpara area, suffered a serious blow during last year's flood, locals said.
The embankment got damaged at different points as several holes developed on it due to heavy rainfall, they added.
However, Jica stopped releasing funds for the repair work, following a conflict among members of Dashdar Ranigaon Water Management Cooperative Samity, local farmers alleged.
Although the upcoming monsoon is much closer, the broken portions are yet to be completely repaired. Farmers fear that their standing boro fields might get affected by the flash flood this year.
Farmer Ashraf Ali of Ranigaon village said it is quite unfortunate as they are gradually becoming victims of personal feuds among members of the cooperative society.
The cooperative society was formed so that farmers could get benefits through proper monitoring, but now they are worried about whether they will be able to harvest their crops or not.
Boro is the main crop of people living in the haor areas, and they will lose everything if a flash flood affects their boro fields.
Pogla Union Parishad (UP) Chairman Mozammel Haque said if the embankment is not repaired immediately, boro fields on about 1,500 acres of land in different haor areas, including Manduria, Pitua, Chatigaon, Biarbanda and Dogra Beel, might get badly affected during the monsoon.
During a recent visit to the area, local lawmaker Manu Majumder talked to the farmers and locals and assured them of repairing the structure as soon as possible, the chairman said.
Residents said members of the cooperative society are divided into two groups for their personal interest.
District Cooperative Officer Sumon Chandra Pal said due to the lack of proper monitoring and feud among the samity members, the previous monitoring committee was dissolved last year.
Later, a three-member ad-hoc committee, headed by Upazila Cooperative Officer Enamul Haque, was formed to address the issue.
Shyamol Nandi, former secretary of the cooperative samity, was asked to hand the relevant documents over to the ad-hoc body, but he is yet to do that.
Contacted, Shyamol said the matter is now pending with the High Court.
Kalmakanda Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Asaduzzaman said they held a meeting recently at the local lawmaker's residence to find a way out to repair the embankment.
Meanwhile, following directives from Netrakona Deputy Commissioner Anjana Khan Majlish, the upazila administration with the help of other departments concerned started filling earth at some of the broken parts last week, the UNO said.