Sherpur representative: If the sluice gate is constructed on the small canal, the fate of thousands of people in 5 villages on the border of Sherpur Garo Pahar area may change. Thousands of people have been deprived of crops and crops due to water shortage in Garo hills of the district for a long time. Recently, the locals became excited about the plan to construct a sluice gate on the Kalaghusa canal in Jhenaigati upazila of the district. But the locals protested and staged a human chain in protest against a local gang blocking the construction of the sluice gate.
According to the LGED authorities who have taken the project, if this project is implemented in the dry season in the hilly areas where the farmers cannot cultivate due to lack of water, they will get that water and will be able to irrigate about one and a half thousand acres of land at a low cost.
According to local residents and research sources, vast areas of Garo Hills in the bordering Sherpur district remain uncultivated only due to irrigation. Numerous hill ridges and canals in those areas dry up after the monsoon season. As a result the people of those areas cannot cultivate other than Aman plantation only. Therefore, the government has recently taken up the ‘Small water resource development’ sub-project on the Kalaghusa Canal of Kansha Union in the area with the funding of JICA. After completing the initial feasibility study of the project, the no-objection is awaited from the forest department. But recently, some illegal sand miners are running a negative campaign to prevent the implementation of the project. Knowing the matter, the victims have recently held a protest march and human chain to demand the speedy implementation of the project.
They said that for a long time, the hilly areas are facing various economic and other crises due to not being able to cultivate other crops and vegetables except Aman plantation. As a result, they want the project to be implemented quickly.
Navesh Khakshi, chairman of Jhenaigati Upazila Tribal Welfare Association, said that if the sluice gate is implemented, 2 thousand acres of land in 5 villages including parts of Gandhigaon, Halchati, Naokunchi, Bakakura and Deflay of Kansha Union will come under irrigation including Boro crops. In all these villages there is a shortage of drinking water along with irrigation. If the sluice gate is opened, the fate of the local tribal-Bengali population will change.
Local Kangsha Union Parishad Chairman. Ataur Rahman said that the Kuchakri Mahal is preventing the quick implementation of the project. Here are those who illegally mine sand, quarry stone and sell water to the poor in winter; They are doing these things. The project needs to be implemented quickly for the benefit of the common farmers.
Executive Engineer of Sherpur LGED. Mostafizur Rahman said, “The Prime Minister has ordered the countrymen to bring under cultivation without leaving an inch of land uncultivated. We are trying to bring hundreds of acres of uncultivated hilly land under cultivation through the implementation of this project. The movement of hill water will be sluiced by setting certain levels. In this, excess water will go over and the necessary water will be reserved for agricultural irrigation.
