In the Anand Nagar mahalla of Gurudaspur municipal headquarters of Natore, half of the slab of the box culvert was broken and the people moving in the area are suffering. As there is no alternative road, pedestrian vehicles are moving through the risky culvert.
On Sunday morning, January 23, a large hole was found in the upper slab of the culvert in front of Abdul Matin’s house on Haringbond Road, north of Government Technical School and College, Anand Nagar Mahalla, Ward 9, Municipal Headquarters. Even if the locals leave the earthen sacks at risk, major accidents can happen at any time.
The damaged culvert is the only source of water in the Baghmara beel of Anand Nagar mahalla and is located on the road to bring the crops produced by the farmers of Infinite 6 villages. Farmers and agricultural workers of Anand Nagar, Kalakandar, Khubjipur and Khalifapara villages are in dire straits due to collapse of culvert slabs.
Mubarak Hossain, a farmer from Kalakandar village, said that crops grown on at least 2,000 bighas of land in 5/6 fields including Baghmara, Bahanna Bigha and Lodger Khapal were brought that way. As the culvert is broken, the movement of vehicles, land cultivation, tractors, trolleys, irrigation machinery and even walking is being disrupted. Farmers and agricultural workers have to take risks.
Shafiqul Islam, a farmer in Anand Nagar Mahalla, said the culvert was damaged two years ago by an overloaded truck carrying soil from the pond. They left without saying they would reform. In this, school going children are moving at risk. Accidents can happen at any time.
In this regard, the municipal mayor Shahnewaz Ali said that he was aware of the bad condition of the culvert and at his suggestion the municipal engineer visited Sarojmin. The suffering of the people will be alleviated by including the reform work in the next tender.
