This will inundate vast areas in Shyamnagar and Kaligonj upazilas, affecting over 20,000 people and damaging crops on 10,000 acres of land, a local Union Parishad chairman told a press conference here recently.

The Shyamnagar Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) and the WDB officials were informed of the matter, but to no effect, Kashimari UP Chairman Anisuzzaman Anis told the press conference at Satkhira Reporters Club.

In a written statement he said vast areas in the two upazilas were inundated and crops damaged when the embankment had collapsed in 1995. It was later repaired at a huge cost.

He said Nurul Amin and Abdul Mazid Gazi of Kashmari village in Shyamnagar upazila are installing pipes by cutting the embankment at night. Local people resisted them.

Being informed, the UNO and a sub-assistant engineer of WDB visited the spot and ordered them not to cut the embankment. But they ignored their order as the local administration did not take any action against them, Anis said. He urged the authorities concerned to take immediate steps to stop the embankment cutting and save the people.