A project to raise the height of the Dochfour Middle Walk Dam to prevent flooding is at a standstill and residents have expressed concern however Stabroek News has been told that the work is expected to re-start in two weeks’ time.
On a visit to the East Coast Demerara farming community last week, farmers told this newspaper that the halting of the project was a source of concern as they have heard nothing about its completion. They pointed out that it is better to do the work when the place is dry. However, when contacted, Chief Executive Officer of the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA), Lionel Wordsworth said that the work will re-start in two weeks.
Earlier this year Dochfour suffered floods which lasted for weeks, leaving residents in foetid floodwater with little food and water.
One resident related that two Thursdays ago, the excavator, which was being utilized to execute the project, was taken away and work halted.
This newspaper was told that only a portion of the project was completed and the “worst” part was left undone. The project entails the “crowning” of the “headrow” of the dam. According to the farmers whenever the water is high, it overflows into their fields. “This is one of the reason why awe suffer in Dochfour with flooding”, a resident explained.
The residents said that they had heard different things from various officials and this has raised concerns. They said that just about half of the work was completed and then stopped.
Wordsworth told Stabroek News that the project is being undertaken by the NDIA and not by a private contractor as stated by residents. He said that the work was stopped because the NDIA had to return the hydraulic 320 CL excavator, which was on loan from MACORP. He stated that the company had loaned the piece of equipment at no cost because it wanted to test it. The CEO explained that the NDIA has developed arrangements with companies desirous of testing excavators, to undertake drainage and irrigation earthen works during its testing period in order to aid in improving the drainage and irrigation system. This was the case with MACORP, he said.
Wordsworth disclosed that the excavator was lent to the NDIA from July 14th to August 4th and the testing period was completed with the works in progress. 350 rods on the eastern side of the Dochfour Middle walk were cleaned, excavated and the embankment heightened, he stated.
He assured that the work will re-start in two weeks time, when one of the Authority’s excavators will be available. 250 rods remain to be done and this will take 12 to 14 days to complete.
