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Repair of Sidr-damaged dams in Patuakhali uncertain

WDB gets Tk 1.88cr against proposal for Tk HOcr

Our Correspondent, Patuakhali
Repair of Sidr-damaged flood control dams in seven upazila of Patuakhali district has became uncertain due to fund constraints.
Water Development Board (WDB)) has allotted only Tk 1.88 crore while the local authorities sought Tk 110 crore for renovation of the badly damaged embankments that pose a threat to prospective Irri-Boro crops in vast areas.
If the damaged dams are not repaired before rains, farmers may lose Boro, the lone rice crop for them for the whole year, WDB officials told this correspondent.
“We submitted an emergency project proposal (PP) involving Tk 110 crore to higher authorities just after cyclone Sidr. but they allotted only Tk 1.88 crore,” Patuakhali WDB executive engineer Md. Jahir Uddin said.
“MoreTk 5 crore might be allotted. but that would be a drop in the sea", he added.
With this money, were have prepared some priority projects for renovation of some of the damaged embankments in Kalapara, the area worst affected by the Sidr, the TheWDB executive engineer said.
Tender will be floated soon for the projects, he added.
According to WDB officials, 645 kilometre flood control embankments out of 1,209 kilometres were damaged by the November 15 Sidr alstyear.
Of these, 83 kiimetre dams were damaged totally and 562 partly. The Sidr also damaged 355 sluice gates out of 412, 612 inlets and 362 irrigation canals in the seven upazilas.
The Sidr also damaged Amon paddy on about 1.70 lakh hectares as the flood control embankments damaged earlier were not repaired, sources in district Agriculture Extension Department (AED) said.
Talking to this correspondent during a recent visit, farmer Nur Mohammad of Charkhali village in Mirzagonj upazila said, "'My Arnon paddy on three acres were lost due to Sidr. We will also lose the up coming Irri-Boro if the damaged flod control embankment is not repaired immediately".
Shahjalal of the village said, "Our lands with crops will be flooded by salty water as the Payera river embankment has not yet been repaired".
"We do not need relief. We need repair of dams, which will protect our crops in the coming rainy season," said Adbul Kader Howiader.
World Bank (WB) vice-president for South Asia Praful Chanrda Petel during his visit to Ancepara in Kalapara upazila on December 13 last year assured of WB assistance in renovation of damaged embankments, the WDB officials said.