Maximum sluice gates in the district are useless in absence of proper management of the rivers and canals, creating permanent water logging.
The situation has been created for natural disasters, silt accumulation in the rivers and canals for want of excavation and decline in their flow and navigability, said Akram Hossen, engineer of Water Development Board.
According WDB sources, there are 419 sluice gates in Khulna. Of them, six are under Barakpur-Digholia project, four at no. 28/2 polder in Batiaghata, 13 at no. 25 polder, two at no. 26 polder, 14 at no. 19 polder, three at no. 27/2 polder, 11 at no. 17/1 polder, five at no. 17/2 polder, six at no. 27/1 polder in Dumuria, nine at no. 28/1 polder in Dumuria-Batiaghata, three at no. 9 polder, 15 at no. 10/12 polder, 12 at no. 16 polder, four at no. 18/19 polder, 14 at no. 20 polder and 20/1, three at no. 21, 11 at no. 22, 44 at no. 23 in Paikgachha, 23 at no. 30 polder, eight at no. 31 in Batiaghata, 27 at no. 31 polder, 61 at no. 32 and eight at no. 33 polder in Dakope.
Besides, there are 37 sluice gates under Amirpur-Batiaghata-Bhanderkot project in Batiaghata and eight others near the dams to protect the city. Some residents of Batiaghata upazila stressed the need for immediately excavating the rivers and canals to keep the sluice gates in the district functional.
Besides, most of the rivers and canals in the district are filled with silt hampering smooth operation of the sluice gates, they said.
Expressing grave concern, one Makbul Hossain said if the situation continues, people may face severe water logging permanently in the region.
Pijush Krisna Kundu, executive engineer of WDB, said huge money is needed to protect the sluice gates through dredging the rivers and canals. “But it is not possible presently as the government has allocated only one tenth of the total amount, he said.
Mujibur Rahman, executive engineer of the WDB, said : “Once the rivers and canals are excavated, there will be normal flow of their waters and then the sluice gates will be protected.”
Mobarak Hossen Sarder, owner of a shrimp enclosure in Paikgacaha said: “I have cultivated the shrimp on 5,000 bighas land with the help of two sluice gates.” “Now I have to incur losses as the sluice gates are damaged,” he said.
Khokan Ali Gazi, president of Dumuria Upazila Shrimp Enclosure Association, said the business men had to face a great difficulty as the sluice gates turned useless.
“We urged the government to take steps to operate the gates soon,” he said.
WDB executive engineer Pijush Krinshna Kundu siad for unavailability of fund as per demand, maintenance works of the sluice gates were not possible through proper dredging of the rivers and canals.
