Tk 262 cr project starts this month to rid 3 dists of waterlogging

Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) is expected to begin work for implementation of a Tk 261.53 crore project on the Kobadak River by this month for resolving the persistent waterlogging problem in large areas of Khulna, Jessore and Satkhira districts.
The five-year project includes re-excavation of the Kobadak River and its adjoining creeks and canals, excavation of link canals and demolition of all unauthorised structures, dams, dykes and shrimp enclosures along the river, said BWDB sources.
"The project aims at controlling flash floods, improving irrigation system and develop fisheries and agriculture sectors by removing silt deposits from the banks and beds of the Kobadak River," Dipak Sarker, superintending engineer of Jessore Circle of BWDB told this correspondent on Sunday.
"Water Development Board will take full responsibility to implement the five-year project after receiving the fund allocated by the government. We hope to start the work by this month," he said.
The Executive Committee of National Economic Council approved the project at a meeting held in Dhaka last month.
Flash floods and persistent waterlogging resulting from heavy siltation of Kobadak River rendered lakhs of people of Khulna, Satkhira and Jessore districts homeless during the last several years.
The 240-kilometre-long river flowing mainly through Khulna, Jessore and Satkhira districts has now become synonymous with sorrow for lakhs of people due to man-made problems.
Mindless construction of dykes, dams, shrimp enclosures and unauthorised structures on the banks of the Kobadak resulted in its heavy siltation, affecting beauty and normal course of the river and eventually causing serious waterlogging in the area, the superintending engineer said.
The perennial waterlogging problem has created an adverse impact on agriculture, fishery and biodiversity in the three districts, said Md Giasuddin, chief engineer of Khulna divisional office of BWDB.
Under the Tk 261.53 crore project, Tk 28.27 crore will be spent during the current (2011-2012) financial year, Tk 114.65 crore during 2012-2013, Tk 102.63 crore during 2013-2014 and Tk 15.88 crore during 2014-2015 financial year, he said.
Following locals' demand for saving the Kobadak, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina directed the authorities concerned to take necessary steps in this regard.
Consequently, a research work was carried out on 75,000 hectares of land last year to explore possibility of a sustainable drainage and flood control system and the project has been taken as per findings of the work, said the chief engineer of Khulna WDB.
The project was included in the Annual Development Programme during 2010-2011 financial year, he added.