Works on none of the 744 crop protection schemes worth Tk 1.32 billion in Sunamagnj district could be completed within the deadline, which ended on February 28, sources informed.
However, the Water Development Board (WDB) claimed 75 per cent works on average had been done while the citizens' forum 'Haor Banchao Andolan' said 50 per cent to 60 per cent works were done at places and some of the schemes had only 30 per cent progress.
The forum at a press conference on Saturday alleged that average progress was not over 50 per cent to 60 per cent. Strict monitoring could compel the Project implementation Committees (PICs) to complete the works within deadline. Besides, there had been attempts of misappropriation through unnecessary schemes, they alleged further.
Haor Banchao Andolan president veteran Freedom Fighter Abu Sufian and General Secretary Bijon Sen Roy addressed the press conference. The administration should bear the responsibility for any disaster to crops, they warned.
Meanwhile, the locals apprehend early rains this season, which may affect the Boro paddy crops on the haor region as there had been rain weeks ago. Standing Boro paddy on the whole haor region in the country was hit badly by the early rains and hilly floods starting since the last week of February 2017.
Although the works were to be started from December 15, things were delayed due to late formation of PICs for the schemes. Besides, selection of schemes was delayed from the upazilas, sources admitted.
WDB Executive Engineer Md Sabibur Rahman, also member-secretary of the district monitoring committee, told this correspondent on Sunday 15-day extension for completing the works had been sought.
However, we hope things would be completed in a week, the official said earth works on the 453 schemes are almost complete although the slope compaction and planting of grass are yet to be done. He claimed average progress at 78 per cent.
It may be stated here that there are records of early rains in late February and beginning of March in the region, which may hit the standing paddy crops by the onrush of waters from upstream hills. This is why the WDB had set deadline for completing works by February 28.
A number of locals alleged most of the schemes are yet to be completed. Especially the croplands inside the vast Dekhar Haor, Sanghai Haor, Kanchibhang Haor, Jamkhola Haor and Khawai Haor remained almost unprotected as slope compaction could not be done as yet in Dakshin Sunamganj. Irregularities were there on the Jamkhola, Sholladair, Bedakhali and Rangamati embankments, they maintained.
However, on receiving allegations of irregularities, a number of PICs were reconstituted with new members while many others were punished for project works in different upazilas in the district. Some were even jailed by the mobile courts, said the WDB official.
forsylhet@gmail.com