Former UP chairman Lokman Hekim has been accused of breaking a dam to allow water to enter the fish farming bill at Jagannathpur in Mendipur union of Netrokona’s Haoranchal Khaliajuri.
Hundreds of hectares of raw paddy are likely to be submerged as water continues to enter various haors through broken dams.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Local farmers including Water Development Board Upazila administration are working to repair the dam.
After a long month of continuous efforts to repair the crop protection dams in the haor, the people of the haor have not been saved.
Paubo’s executive engineer ML Saikat confirmed the incident. He said it was Petner Dam. Older than last year. There was no reason to break it. This is the dam next to the old bow. The dam broke to supply water to the fishery. We have employed our employees and workers.
Meanwhile, Jagannathpur farmers Khokon Mia, Golap Mia Sujan and many others said that Lokman Hekim, former chairman of Mendipur UP, broke the dam late on Monday night to allow water to enter Petna Fishery. When the farmers of the area went to the spot and chased the chairman, he left his motorcycle and fled. Later, his motorcycle was thrown into the broken part of the dam by the agitated farmers.
They further said that it is a bill beside the old Dhanu river. River water is not supposed to come. The current is less here. But as the dam is broken for fish farming, the lands will be submerged till Madan. The dam was somehow stuck fighting with nature. And now they cut themselves and drowned the crops of the farmers. Farmers are demanding exemplary justice for such crimes.
The phone was found switched off when he was called on his mobile phone to talk to the accused former chairman Lokman Hekim about the matter.
Meanwhile, Mohan Lal Saikat, executive engineer of the Water Development Board, said that efforts are being made to maintain the dams in the haor to protect the crops. He said those involved in intentionally breaking the dam would be brought under the law.
According to the Department of Agriculture, 80 per cent of the paddy has already been harvested in Khaliajuri, but it has not been possible to harvest it as thousands of hectares of land is still semi-ripe. In this situation, there is a danger of flooding the crop as water continues to enter the haor.
