Sluice gate being built in Satkhira by illegally cutting WDB embankment
4,000 bighas of land to go under water
Our Correspondent, Satkhira
A sluice gate is being constructed illegally by cutting Water Development Board's embankment on Kholpetna river at Khalishabunia in Shyamnagar upazila. About 4000 bighas of shrimp enclosures will be inundated if the sluice gate is constructed at that point, local people claimed while talking to this correspondent recently. They urged the authorities concerned to stop the construction. They said one Bappi of Khulna is constructing the sluice gate at polder No. 15 without the authorities' permission. Earth has been removed from a sizeable portion of the WDB embankment and bricks, sand and cement have been taken there for the construction work. The local people alleged that Bappi has collected a handsome amount of money from a few owners of shrimp enclosures assuring them supply of saline water for shrimp cultivation. Once the sluice gate is completed and saline water supplied, 4000 bighas of shrimp enclosures will go under water, they said. The local people also held demonstrations protesting the illegal move and urged the officials concerned to take take action, but to no effect, they said. There are croplands in the area, which will also reel under saline water, they said.
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