Hardly one per cent of the project work could be done due to lack of funds, officials concerned said.

The Water Development Board (WDB) began implementation of the Tk 111 crore project in 2001-2002 financial year to control flood and improve irrigation system in six upazilas of the district.

The upazilas are Jakiganj, Kanaighat, Beanibazar, Golapganj, Fenchuganj and Sylhet Sadar.

It is scheduled to be completed by 2005-2006.

It includes construction of 181 kilometre embankments, 813 irrigation structures, two bridges, five regulators, 163 kilometre irrigation canals, 56 kilometre drains and installation of four irrigation pumps to provide irrigation facilities in 38,000 hectares of land. The project area covers over 49,000 hectares of land.

The initial allocation of Tk 50 lakh, made in fiscal 2001-02, was spent for land acquisition, the officials said.

During the last fiscal, Tk 2.75 crore was allocated against the proposed amount of Tk 21.62 crore. Of this, Tk 70 lakh was spent for land acquisition and Tk 1.95 crore for construction of 10 kilometre embankments.

In the current financial year, Tk 4.73 crore has been sanctioned, said an official source.

A major portion of the sanctioned amount will be spent for land acquisition.

But so far, only 34 hectares of land have been acquired, they said.

Construction of flood control embankments is a major part of the project in Jakiganj, Kanaighat, Beanibazar and Golapganj upazilas.

Delay in project implementation will only increase the cost, they said.