Locals alleged that the administration and Water Development Board are playing a silent role in this regard.
The sluice-gate was built in the junction of the Betna River and the Samta Canal at Bagachara union in the upazila during the Ershad regime.
As it remained out of order for a long time, around a five-kilometer area in Kul Baria from Shangkarpur union to Samta village was filled with water-hyacinth, disrupting the water flow.
Residents of the area say when the water level drops, local influential groups farm fish by setting up small dams which lead to flooding during monsoon. Since there is no proper water flow, half of the crop land remains under water in dry season.
Farmers can only cultivate Irri. Among 500 bighas of land of the adjoining beel (a large surface water body), around 300 bighas remain uncultivable.
Locals blamed the Water Development Board for the situation.
The Begobhati River or the Betroboti River, known as Betna to the people of Sharsha, and as Bhaina to the people of Jhikargaccha, is dying after losing its water flow.
During a recent visit, the UNB correspondent found that there is water flow in 13-km area from Shikarpur to Gorpara in Sharsha. But the scenario in around a four-kilometer area from Gorpara to Banmandar is completely opposite.
Besides, local influential groups are farming fish setting up eight dams in a two-kilometre area from Banmandar to Radhanagar.
As there is no proper drainage system, silt has been deposited in the river which has reduced navigability. As there is no flow of water in the river, water stagnation becomes a common problem in the areas during monsoon.
Though there was a direction from the upazila administration to remove net and embankment from the river, the influential groups are always opposing it.
Farmers of Pipragacchi said they have planted paddy in beels during Irri season. After the harvesting of paddy at Baishakh, the entire area gets inundated, forcing the farmers to stay away from producing any crop.
Farmers Abdul, Rahamat Ali, Salahuddin, Abul Kashem, Jasim Uddin and Ujjal Das of Samta village said they have a very difficult time during the nine-month unproductive season.
They said they wrote to the chairman of their but there has been no progress.
Md Elias Kabir Bakul, the chairman of Bagachara union parishad, said the sluice-gate hampers the water flow into the Betna River and the Samta Canal and causes water stagnation in rainy season.
He said he placed the issue at monthly meetings of Sharsha upazila several times and sought government initiative to overcome the problem.
Pulok Kumar Mandal, upazila nirbahi officer of Sharsha upazila, said they have sent a list of canals which need re-excavation. They also conduct mobile court drives to fine and jail people who illegally occupy canal for fish farming.
“If there's any allegation, we'll take action instantly,” he said.
Shahriar Sarker, sub-divisional engineer of Jashore Water Development Board, said re-excavation of seven rivers, one water body and a canal is underway under a project. “Necessary information was sent to the ministry in October last year to re-excavate the Betna River and adjoining canals,” he said.
However, there has been no response yet. Re-excavation will begin after getting approval, he said.
Asked about the sluice-gate, the engineer said they have no one designated to take care of the sluice-gate.
“A committee formed by locals takes care of the gate. For repair works, recommendations were sent to thevministry in July 2017, but it didn’t get the approval,” he said.