UNB, Khulna
Most of the sluice gates in the district are on the way of becoming useless in the absence of proper management of the rivers and canals, creating worry for permanent water logging.
The situation has been created due to various natural disasters, silt accumulation in the rivers and canals for want of excavation and decline in their flow and navigability.
Sources at Water Development Board in Khulna said for unavailability of fund as per demand, maintenance works of the sluice gates are not being possible through proper dredging of the rivers and canals.
Yet a few of the rivers and canals are being dredged bringing them under certain projects, added the sources.
The WDB sources said further there are 350 sluice gates in Khulna.
Among 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 while talking to this correspondent stressed the need for immediately excavating the rivers and cannels to keep the sluice gates in the district functional.
Besides, most of the rivers and cannels in the district are filled with silt due to lack of excavation, hampering smooth operation of the sluice gates, they observed.
A good many of the sluice gates have caved in.
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 the Water Development Board-2, said huge money is needed to protect the sluice gates through dredging the rivers and cannels.
But it is not possible presently as the government has allocated only one tenth of the total amount needed.
Mujibur Rahman, executive engineer of Water Development Board-1, said once the rivers and cannels are excavated, there will be normal flow of their waters and then the sluice gates will be protected.
