A feed mill named Arman Feed and Fisheries (Pushtiraj) was built on crop land in 2016 at Dhukundi Charabagh on the Dhaka-Sylhet highway between Belab and Raipura upazilas. At the very beginning of setting up this feed mill, the mill authorities closed the drains required for drainage of water from the crop lands, due to which rain water and contaminated water of the factory accumulate when there is little rain. Hundreds of bighas of crops and houses of the farmers of this vegetable-inhabited area were submerged.
About 100 bighas of crops including more than 50 houses in Belab and Raipura upazilas have been submerged due to accumulation of rain water and factory water due to construction of the factory without drainage system. As a result, Dhukundi village of Belab Upazila and VT Morjal of Raipura Upazila, Char Dhukundi and several other villages have been affected by the damage of various crops including gravel, chilli, potato and other crops planted by about half a hundred farmers. On the other hand, houses in these areas have been flooded causing permanent waterlogging.
The locals complained that the problem has not been resolved even after applying to various departments including the factory authorities. As a result, the residents of the area have been living in misery since the construction of the mill.
Affected farmers Siddiqur Rahman Bachchu and Yasin Mia of Dhukundi village said, "Due to the feed mill, our crops of about six bighas of land have been submerged in water, due to which other crops including chilli, kankrol and potato have rotted and lost about Tk 10 lakh."
Farmer Sohag Mia said, "Since the establishment of the feed mill, we have not been able to harvest crops from these lands." With a little rain and contaminated water from the factory, the crop is ruined. Even after we repeatedly told the mill authorities, they did not listen to us.
Local UP member. Zahirul Islam Jagat said that the factory was built without any drainage system, due to which about one to one hundred and fifty acres of land in my area was destroyed due to waterlogging. I demand the higher authorities to take action in this regard to protect the farmers of the area.
Mohammad Mohiuddin, manager of the feed mill, said the mill was located between Belab and Raipura upazilas. People of VT Morjal and Chardhukundi villages of Raipura upazila say that their crop lands and houses were destroyed as a result of discharge of the company's waste water through drains. On this pretext they closed the mouth of the drainage drain. Due to the closure of drains, some crop lands of Dhukundi village of Belab upazila have been damaged due to accumulation of rain water.
Belab Upazila Agriculture Officer. Nazim-ur-Rauf Khan said, "I went to the area to find out the truth about the allegations of the farmers." I will lodge a written complaint with the concerned authorities to take action in this regard.