The defective koker that had resulted in the flooding of the Little Diamond community is now working and the new door and upgrades to the sluice are expected to be installed soon.
Operator of the koker Ibrahim Shakur told Stabroek News yesterday that they were able to get the sluice door opened and working and the contractor is almost finished with constructing the new door. He explained that sluice is working as per normal, but in addition to the new door, the area will be built up so as to prevent overtopping from the river during high tides.
He added that work will commence as soon as the tide reaches a low enough level to allow them to uproot the entire koker door.
On May 16 Stabroek News had reported that Little Diamond, East Bank Demerara, had been enduring sporadic flooding, as the sluice that regulated the water and not been working for two weeks.
In addition to the not-working koker door, the operator explained that the entire drainage system was responsible for the yards being flooded when the water builds up. “The main object is because of the housing scheme they mek. They full up some of the trench so the water pile up and it gon flood the yard and it aint’ got nowhere to go cause the door ain’t opening,” he said. He had explained too that the buildup of vegetation in the canals and waterways was drastically affecting the water flow.
“….So the trench… silt up and when you digging you gotto dig it properly,” he had stated.
Three weeks after the problem was reported to the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA), Frederick Flatts, head of the agency, had said that they were aware of the problems and were in the process of addressing same. He had said he was unable to estimate the time of completion. “I wish if I could say we will have it fixed by tomorrow or that it was already fixed but we have encountered some problems and that has been holding us back,” Flatts had said.
Since the rain eased up, contractors were able to continue their work and finish the door as well as cleaning sections of the canal.
