Move to free four Mathbaria canals stalled
Water Development Board (WDB) had taken a decision to remove dams and roads built across four canals in Mathbaria upazila of the district about two months ago, but it is yet to implement its decision.
In November last year, WDB authorities took a decision to conduct eviction drives to free the occupied canals as per the government’s direction.
At least seven dams and roads have been built across the canals by local influential people or government departments.
The canals include Bharani Khal and Bhutar Khal in Dhanisafa and Mirukhali unions under the upazila.
Locals said nearly 16 years ago, late Mosharraf Hossain Akan, a former chairman of Dhanisafa union parishad, built a road across Bharani canal to connect Phuljhuri and Patakata villages.
Water transport through the canal has remained suspended since then, causing immense sufferings to local people, they added.
Later, some other structures, including the dams, were built across the four canals to grab the natural water bodies, they said.
The dams and roads are yet to be removed as a group of local influential persons have grabbed the canals, said the villagers.
Contacted, Md Shah Alam Bali, sub-divisional engineer of WDB in Pirojpur, said as there is no embankment beside the canals, they cannot remove the structures.
If the structures are removed without construction of any embankment, the villages will be flooded during the rainy season, he said.
They have already informed the higher authorities about the matter, but to no respond yet, said the WDB engineer.
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