People of 30 villages in three unions under Amtali upazila in Barguna district have demanded removal of a dam on Subondi canal which is causing serious problems for long.

Affected villagers under the banner of Nagorik Forum on Saturday placed the demand at a press conference at Nurjahan Club in the upazila town.

Nazrul Islam Talukder, secretary of the Nagorik Forum, read out the statement at the press conference while Shahabuddin Panna, executive director of a local NGO, Dewan Mojibur Rahman, a local journalist, Gazi Rafiq Uddin Ahmed, a social worker, addressedit.

According to the statement, people of 30 villages in three unions — Halodia, Chawra and Amtali Sadar - - are suffering a lot because of the dam on Subondi canal.

The dam stopped water flow for long. As a result, during the rainy season, agri lands of 30 villages go under water for 4-5 months while in dry season, farmers face water crisis. Production of agri items reduced in an alarming rate as farmers cannot cultivate their land timely and properly due to the dam.

Over 10,000 hectares of agri lands depend on the canal water, the statement claimed.

When we need water in the dry season, the water level goes to the bottom, said Abdul Gani Gharami, 50, a farmer of Chalitabunia village.

On the other hand, we cannot remove water from our land as it goes flooded in rainy season, he added.

The situation is hampering production of all kinds of agri items like aus, aman and robi crops, Md. Siddikur Rahman of Nachnapara village told this

correspondent.

We also can't use water of the canal as it gets polluted by hyacinth, he added.

The 30-km-long canal linked with Ramnabad River in the south and another portion with Paira River is now totally closed because of the dam. The dam was built about 20 years ago by Water Development Board (WDB) to protect agri land from saline water.

Akhtaruzzaman Badal, UP chairman of Chawra UP observed that a sluice gate on the dam will solve the problem. However, Motiar Rahman, mayor of Amtali municipality said, local people want immediate removal of the dam and I think it is a better solution.

Contacted, Abu Zafar Alamgir, an engineer ofWDB in Barguna said they have already taken a plan to build a sluice gate on the dam. Tender will be called shortly, he said.