Mozammel Hossain Sajal: In the name of constructing a detergent factory, a cold storage company, by filling the Taltola-Baligaon-Gouraganj canal with sand, has left the Kunder Bazar bailey bridge on Munshiganj-Tongibari-Sirajdikhan bypass road and croplands and homesteads at Kaichchail and Kandapara areas under threat.
Unabated encroachment upon the canal continues to aggravate the water-logging situation. In absence of proper action by the authorities concerned, an influential section of people has kept grabbing the canal turning water-logging, especially during the rainy season, into a threat for the croplands. the staggering canal is being badly affected by illegal occupation, making the areas vulnerable to water-logging due to hindrance in the way of free flow of water during the rains.
The affected people have appealed to the Tongibari assistant commissioner land office but the authority are not paying heed to the crisis. Moreover, soil digging around one hundred gauzes of the land office has endangered the very existence of the office but the authority concerned are keeping mum in this connection.
One affected farmer Babul Bepari said their croplands beside the canal are sliding due to unbarred soil digging by dredger at the area for the last one month. They have sent letters to the Kunder Bazar land office and Tongibari assistant commissioner (land) office many a times but they are not taking any steps.
While visiting the spot, the allegations were found true. While asked, labours, working at the digging site, south-east to the cold storage, said Mojibur Rahman, owner the cold storage, by purchasing dredger, has started the dredging work.
Manager of the cold storage Abul Hossain said local people are digging soil by setting up 8-10 dredgers for long. If they dig soil, what is the problem, he asked in retaliation.
While going to the Kunder Bazar land office in this connection, it was found locked.
Tongibari upazila assistant commissioner (Land) Rahela Rahmatullah said their Nayeb went to the spot but the encroachers sent him back by rebuking. She is taking the matter into account, she added.
While contacted, owner of the proposed detergent company Mojibur Rahman said he has purchased the land and is doing the digging and filling work. He, however, avoided the question about the permission of purchasing government land.
observerbd
