Big names involved in irregularities being heard: Senior secy

Water resources ministry senior secretary Kabir Bin Anwar has said an investigation is being carried out over the alleged irregularities in the construction of embankment in haor and names of influential people are being heard.

"A committee of the ministry is working. The intelligence agencies are also looking into the matter. Names of influential people are being heard. All information is being sent to the prime minister. None will be spared. Those who will be found involved will be brought to book," the senior secretary said.

Kabir Bin Anwar made the remarks in a views exchange meeting on the situation of Sunamganj haor organised by the district administration on Thursday afternoon.

Deputy commissioner Jahangir Hossain presided over the meeting at his conference room.

The senior secretary said there are irregularities and negligence in the construction of embankment.

He, however, said all are not involved in the irregularities. Some 98 per cent of crops still remain as work has been done, the senior secretary said adding all should not be blamed.

Kabir Bin Anwar said all are trying to protect crops. But the situation is not good and there is fear, he added.

Speakers at the meeting said a syndicate has been emerged and officials of the administration and Power Development Board (PDB) are involved in it.

Allegations are made that members of parliament also influence on the work in many ways.

The speakers also said there are anomalies in the formation of project implementation committee.

They also alleged unnecessary projects are undertaken and excess expenditure is estimated. Public money is being embezzled in the name of constructing embankment, the speakers added.

Government officials, freedom fighters, politicians and public representatives attended the meeting.

There has been heavy rainfall in India’s Meghalaya and Cherrapunji for one week, leading to flash floods and a rise the water level in the rivers and haors in Sunamganj. As a result, crops in all the haors in Sunamganj are under the threat of inundation.

Crops are being submerged as one after another embankment is eroding. People have been working voluntarily to repair the levees. The crops in Tanguar haor in Tahirpur went under water due to erosion of embankment recently. Erosion of embankment at Chaptir haor is the latest such incident.

So far crops of 10 haors have been damaged in Sunamganj.

According to the district agriculture department, Boro crop has been cultivated on 2,22,805 hectares of land.