Ramesh gets MPs' flak in JS

A number of ruling alliance lawmakers yesterday lambasted Water Resources Minister Ramesh Chandra Sen for his 'poor performance' in preventing river erosion in their constituencies and poor condition of dams.
In a question-answer session in parliament, some MPs questioned the minister's authority over subordinate government officials of his ministry.
In an apparent effort to calm the lawmakers, Ramesh advised them to have patience and assured them of resolving problems in their areas by next year.
“In the last three and half years, I submitted at least four DO letters to the water resources ministry seeking immediate steps to prevent river erosion in my constituency. But no initiative has been taken so far,” said Monjur Kader Quarishi, a ruling party MP of Netrokona.
“I very much doubt whether he [the minister] has any authority over his subordinates to carry out his instructions,” he added.
“Whenever I raised the issue of river erosion with the minister, he would say 'don't worry it will be done' but the fact so far nothing has happened,” Monjur said.
Replying to Manjur, “There are seven to eight hundred rivers in our country and it was not possible for my ministry to look into all of them.”
“But I hope we will be able to start work in your area in this year,” added the minister.
Narail's AL MP Kabirul Haque said, “ I know nothing will come out of raising my problems in parliament. I am only doing it let the people in my constituency know that I have raised their problems in parliament.”
“In the last two to three years, he [the minister] assured me of starting river training works in my constituency. But all his assurance remained in papers,” Kabirul said.
The water resources minister reiterated the reply he gave to Monjur.
AL MP Mustaque Ahmed Ruhi of Netrokona said people of his constituency close to Indian state of Meghalaya are living in fear of flash floods.
“But to whom I will raise the issue as the water resources minister have not done anything so far to address the problems,” a lamenting Ruhi said.
AL MPs Shahab Uddin of Moulvibazar, Abdul mannan of Bogra, and Jatiya Party MPs Mujib-ul-Haque Chunnu of Kishoreganj and Zakir Hossain of Kurigram also blasted the minister for not addressing river erosion related problems in their areas.