Salinity threatens agri lands as sluice gate damaged
Over 5,000 farmers of six villages in Kalapara upazila under the district are passing time amid worry as damage of a sluice gate at Nijkata canal has made vast agricultural lands vulnerable to flooding by saline water.
Two of the concrete pipes of the sluice gate have already collapsed and four others are also under risk.
The Water Development Board (WDB) built the sluice gate at Nijkata village five years ago to facilitate smooth cultivation on over 10,000 acres of land in Nijkata, Nabipur, Islampur, Pashchim Sonatala, Neyamotpur and Ghutabacha villages under Kalapara upazila, said Ibrahim Howlader, a farmer of Nijkata village.
"But the earth on the concrete pipes of the sluice gate caved in a month earlier. Now saline water from the Andharmanik River may enter our agricultural land where newly planted aman seedlings and green vegetables are growing," he added.
"We are very anxious over the matter as aman is our main crop," said Joynul Abedin, another farmer of the same village.
Demanding urgent steps to save the sluice gate, over 500 farmers submitted a petition to the WDB office in Kalapara upazila on Sunday.
"We have requested the WDB authorities to take immediate step to save the sluice gate considering the interest of local farmers," said Abdul Malek, chairman of the local union parishad.
Shafiuddin Ahmed, executive engineer of WDB in Patuakhali, said they informed the higher authorities of the matter but they are yet to get any allocation to repair the sluice gate.
Comments