The sluice gate constructed 23 years ago at a cost of about 5 crore TK by WDB at Ulipur in Kurigram could not change the fate of the people of Buri Teesta region. Currently, this sluice gate is of no use. It has gradually become ineffective due to lack of timely reforms.
It is known that when the sluice gate built at the source of Buri Teesta River got engulfed in river, the WDB authorities without any plan, closed it with a flood control dam at the mouth of Teesta River. On the other hand, a sluice with 24 gates was newly constructed in 1999 at a cost of about 5 crore Tk at a place called Gokaipier in Thetrai Union. But the sluice gate is now not functioning due to lack of supervision and renovation by the authorities. At present, 16 out of 24 gates are useless. Small pinion of gates, shapes, large pinion covers of 7 gates, large pinions of 4 gates and nuts of many gates were stolen due to carelessness.
Apart from this, the source of the sluice gate is filled with silt from the Teesta River, so water is not drained from any direction. In this situation, little rain during the monsoon season causes flooding in the southern part of Teesta River. As a result, thousands of hectares of cropland and hundreds of families on both sides of the Buritista River have to suffer.
About 22 kilometers of Teesta River from Daldalia Union of Ulipur Upazila to Raniganj of Chilmari Upazila became flooded and lost its navigability, the river was taken over by the invaders. Recently, Ulipur Press Club and Rail, Maritime and Environment Development People's Committee started a movement to excavate and de-encroach Teesta River up to Kanchkol in Chilmari upazila along with construction of sluice gate at Arjuna in Daldalia union of upazila. In view of this, the government took the initiative to make channel in Teesta River. But the people of this region have to bear hardships due to non-excavation of about 17 km from Devattar to Nazim Khan in the southern part of Daldalia Union. The people of Devattar village complain that if the sluice gate is not repaired and the south side of Teesta is not dug and silt is not removed from the front, the people of this region will have to suffer more.
Abdul Baten, gateman in charge of sluice gate, said that 8 gates out of 24 gates work in any way. The sluice gates will not be of any use to the people if the remaining 16 gates are not repaired and water drainage is not provided.
Abdullah Al Mamun, Executive Engineer of Kurigram Water Development Board, said that requests have been sent for allocation for the renovation of sluice gates. After getting the allocation, the gates will be repaired and the water flow will be normalized. The official said that a proposal has been sent for digging from Devattar to Nazim Khan in Daldalia Union.