The fractionally damaged Chandimari dyke needs immediate repairs, as it is the only means of protection from the waters of Teesta River during monsoon for more than 20,000 people residing at Mohiskhocha under Aditmari upazila of the district.
The collapse of the dyke will lead to floods in the entire union, which will cause immense suffering to the people of almost 15 villages.
Mohiskhocha UP Chairman Mosaddek Hossain Chowdhury said: “The damaged dyke needs to be repaired as soon as possible since it possesses the risk of collapse and flood the villages of the union during the rainy season.”
Badsha Miah, a previously flood affected villager of the region, however, alleged that according to agreements between contractors and Water Development Board (WDB) officials, they will start the repair works during the monsoon season, which will again lead to an incomplete work and the dyke will be damaged again, but the corrupt officials will benefit.
Regarding the repairs, the district’s executive engineer of WDB, Enayet Ullah, said he has already ordered a contractor to continue the work according to the schedule and complete the repairs by the mid June.
According to Lalmonirhat WDB sources, a development project for repairing the collapsed dyke has been taken which will cost a total of Tk30m and Tk1.3m this year. The construction firm, Karmokar Agency, won the bid and was given the work order around two months ago.
They said though the firm started construction of concrete blocks to repair the dyke a month ago, the firm has yet to start work. The construction was halted, as the firm was found guilty of corruption about a week ago.
On the issue, sub-divisional engineer of the district’s WDB, Mizanur Rahman, said he stopped the firm’s construction of blocks as they used low quality stones, cement and local sand.
“If low quality concrete blocks are used for the repairs of the dyke, it will fail against the strong currents of the Teesta River during monsoon.
“The Chandimari dyke needs sturdy repairing to handle the river’s strong currents,” sources said.