A couple has been cutting soil of the wing wall of a sluice gate, built at a cost of Tk 10 crore in order to control water of a large part of Chalan Beel, for the last several days.
Beneficiaries of the sluice gate fear disruption of the water control system of Chalan Beel, the largest sweet-water body natural reservoir covering Pabna, Natore and Sirajganj districts, as a result of removing soil from the wing wall.
The government constructed the new sluice gate at a cost of about 10 crore in Kinu Sarkar canal flowing between Natabaria and Charsen villages under Beelchalan Union in Pabna’s Chatmohar upazila. The structure was built around 12 years ago in order to control water of a large part of Chalan Beel. Water of about 15 to 20 beels in Pabna and Natore districts is now being regulated through the sluice gate.
The couple, Khoaj Uddin and Asma Khatun, of Natabaria village has been taking the soil of the wing wall away for the last several days. Although local people asked them to stop such work, the couple is not paying any heed to the villagers.
While visiting the spot on Tuesday, this correspondent talked to some local people. They said the couple is cutting little amount of soil of the wing wall every day.
Ayub Ali, owner of a house near sluice gate, said Khoaj Uddin and Asma Khatun have been cutting the soil for the last 20 days. “Although we have forbidden them [the couple] to do such work, they are not listening to us. Due to earth cutting on the road adjacent to the sluice gate, the road is being lowered. If the water overflows the wing wall during monsoon, the whole area will be destroyed by the flow of water. The sluice gate built at a cost of Tk 10 crore will also be damaged. Crops on thousands of hectares of land will be destroyed,” he said.
Ismail Sarkar and Aktar Hossain of Natabaria village said the old sluice gate, first built during the British period, was damaged 13-14 years ago. The government built the new sluice gate about 12 years ago and filled the wing wall with soil. Khoaj Uddin and his wife are now removing the soil from there.
Abdur Rauf, a lecturer of Jhankra village and a beneficiary of the sluice gate, said lakhs of farmers of 50 villages, including Natabaria, Bothor, Ramnagar, Dhankunia, Katenga, Chhaikola, Boilamari, Jhankra, Vita, Kachugari, Dayrampur, Tebaria, Gopalpur, Dhulauri, Hasmari, Darihasmari and Chamta, are enjoying the benefits in Pabna and Natore districts due to construction of the sluice gate. Removal of soil from the wing wall is likely to disrupt water management over a large area, he said.
Local Union Parishad (UP) member Abdus Sattar Setar said, "Water of about 15-20 beels in Pabna and Natore districts is being controlled through the sluice gate. Although I forbade Khoaj and his wife to remove the soil from the wing wall, they continued to cut the soil. I have informed the local chairman about the matter.”
When contacted, Khoaj Uddin said, “The wing wall of the sluice gate was built on my land. The government has put soil on my place. So, I am cutting and removing it.”
In this regard, Chatmohar Upazila Nirbahi Officer Reduanul Halim said the matter will be investigated and necessary measures will be taken.
Supervising Engineer of Water Development Board, Pabna Sudhanshu Kumar Sarkar said, “I am now informing those who work at the field level about the matter. Necessary measures will be taken in this regard.”
