With about 700,000 haor farmers' livelihoods dependent on Boro paddy yield in the Sylhet division, slow progress in developing embankments for crop protection in Sunamganj, Habiganj and Sylhet districts has stirred worries of rain interruption, which would make the works slower. Rainfall will completely halt the works, now apprehended to take weeks to complete after missing the February 28 deadline. The government has allocated Tk 1.5 billion - Tk 1.45 billion for Sunamganj district and Tk 500 million for Habiganj and Sylhet districts -for embankment development works to ensure crop security from flood. Some 758 project implementation committees (PICs) were supposed to start the works for embankments on December 15 and complete them within the deadline. The committees comprise farmers, land owners and workers, among others. However, Md. Kaisar Alam, additional chief engineer of Water Development Board (WDB), Sylhet zone, told this correspondent that the average progress of the works is about 70 per cent in Sunamganj, Habiganj and Sylhet. The committees will be unable to complete the works within the deadline due to various reasons.

There are 601 km of embankments under 712 schemes in Sunamganj. As officials at all levels of the government administration were involved with responsibilities revolving the national election and other matters, there had been a lack of supervision in the crop protection works, some farmers said. After visiting a large portion of embankments in Sunamganj's Chhatak and Dowarabazar upazilas, Engineer Kaisar said the earth works are almost complete and the committee men would plant grass on slopes in days. He said without planting grass, protecting the embankment's works would be difficult. "We are responsible to supervise these works closely."

The earth works include soil filling -- in some cases from distant areas -- and flattening of soil. Engineer Kaisar said earth works were badly damaged at places due to delayed recession of water from haors. The works were also delayed at some places due to the recession, he said, adding that they are trying their best to complete the works within the deadline.

Farmer Lutfur Rahman, general secretary of one of the PICs at the Naindar haor in Sunamganj's Dowarabazar Upazila, said that earth works are about to complete in his area while grass planting would start in days.

"But, we, the poor farmers need payment under the second (final) instalment immediately," he said.

Locals claimed that the progress of work across the district is slower than it was in the previous years. On Saturday, earth work was being continued in Tahirpur, Bishwambharpur and Dharmapasha upazilas in Sunamganj.

The works of planting bamboo fences, soil flattening, and grass planting in closing areas of the embankments have not started yet. Locals said such a slow pace of the works would leave the embankment uncompleted for weeks. Tahir Ali, a farmer from Fulbari-Katakhali village, said, "There is still a lot of work to be done in some places. If it rains much after days, then it will not be possible to work anymore."

"We will not be able to plant grass, nor will we be able to bring soil," farmer Suman Mia, from Marian haor in Tahirpur, said, answering a question on the outcome of rainfall. "In some places, soil filling work is still due. Then the works for finishing (soil flattening), grass planting will follow. It will be completed after weeks. Let these works be completed before the rains come."

Abu Taher, another farmer from the same village, said it is not possible to complete the embankment works within the deadline.

Shahin khan, a committee member of Chandrasonarthal haor, said they are yet to receive the second instalment of the payment although the deadline has neared and they are under pressure from workers for the compensation. An official said that he had discussed the matter at the district monitoring committee.

WDB Executive Engineer Md. Emdadul Haque said that high officials are well informed of the entire situation and the ministry and the district committee are already informed. "We hope the payments would be completed this week. Still it's a challenge to finish things by February 28, but we are trying." Local farmers want to see the work completed within the stipulated time. Ratindra Barman, president of PIC No. 9 of Bishwambharpur Upazila, said they are not getting compensation in due time. The pace of the works is slowing down to raise money.

Source - https://today.thefinancialexpress.com.bd