PABNA. Apr 3: A total of 8.34 lakh hectares of land have been brought under Boro cultivation in 16 northern districts in the current season, reports UNB.

Of the lands, high yielding variety (HYV) crops have been sowed on 7.99 lakh hectares of land while the local variety on the rest. The production target was fixed at 24 lakh metric tons of paddy.

But the farmers here has expressed apprehension whether they would be able to irrigate their land as erratic power and frequent load-shedding have

almost paralysed life here. Besides. the prices of urea and other fertilizers have shot up abnormally here.

An official source said, in the current season farmers will use over 29,000 power operated irrigation pumps on their Boro land. Of these, 26.553 will be operated by 17 palli bidvut samities and 2,500 by Power Development Board.

As per the estimate. 200 megawatt power will be needed every day In the region for keep Ing the norma) situation here if the total irrigation pumps are operated altogether.