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Irrigation problem hits Boro farming in Panchagarh

Power shortage hampers functioning of deep tube-wells

Our Correspondent, from Thakurgaon
Prospect of Irri-Boro cultivation in Boda and Debiganj upazilas in Panchagarh district has become bleak as large areas of land cannot be irrigated due to shortage of electricitysupply.
With drastic fall in electricity supply in the district, power-run tube-wells, both deep and shallow, can lift only a little water.
Cracks developed on Boro fields on hundreds of acres of land in Barashashi and adjacent unions under Boda upazila for want of irrigation as deep tube-wells in the areas, conducted by Barind Multipurpose Development Authority, failed to lift water from under ground due to low voltage of power during the last 15 days.
“After planting we were abh? foirrigatoBoro Geld only
for one day as the Barrind's No.l deep tube-well failed to lift water due to low voltage of power during last 15 days. Dried up Boro field has developed cracks. Our Boro plants will dry up within days if the situation continues," said Abdur Rashid and Abul Kashem, small farmers of Mohishbathan village in Barashashi union under Boda upazila.
“We fear huge loss in the current season as we cannot afford to irrigate our Boro field with diesel-run shallow pumps," they said.
“I cultivated Boro on three-bigha of land by taking loan from an NGO but am now facing trouble, as deep tubewell failed to supply water required water,” Waliur Rahman, a small farmer of the same area, told this correspondent.
"Several times we informed officials, p f B, a r i n d
Multipurpose Development Authority of the matter but got no response to solve the problem," Omar Faruq, another farmer of the area, said.
Duung a recent visit to the areas, this correspondent saw that many farmers prepared their land but they are yet to sow Boro plant due to lack of irrigation facilities as deep tube-wells failed to supply water.
“The problem arises due to low voltage of power. We have nothing to do in this regard,” a sub-assistant engineer at Boda office of Barind Multipurpose Development Authority said.
DAE officials said they have set target to cultivate Boro on about 43,380 hectares of land in the current season with the production target of 1,96,682 tonnes. About 40 percent of the land depends on powerrun pumps for irrigation.
CqpA^cJion, to a^out.1400
power-run shallow pumps was given in the district, deputy general manager of Rural Electrification Board in Panchagarh said.
Power supply for irrigation in Boda and Debiganj upazilas is awfully scanty as only 4-5 megawatt (MW) is available on an average a day against the requirement of 18 MW, he said, adding that stoppage of power generation in Thakurgaon Power Station caused the situation.
Every day power remains off for 14-16 hours in the two upazilas, he said.
The Boro farmers who had earlier eyed good yield of paddy due to smooth supply of fertilisers and reduction of its prices have now become frustrated due to shortage of power supply for irrigation in the district.
Our Dinajpur Correspondent adds: Hundreds of farmers yesterday blocked the Dinajpur-Rangpur highway snapping road communication for three hours from 11 am to 1 pm at Bekipur in Chirirbandar upazila demanding water to irrigate their paddy fields, police said.
Being informed, Chirirbandar Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Anarkoli Mahbub rushed to the spot with a contingent of police force. Agitating farmers withdrew their programme as the UNO assured them of taking necessary measures in this regard.
Alakdihi Union Parisad Chairman Tariqul Islam said the farmers had been facing crisis of water since onset of the IRRI-Boro cultivation season. The situation worsened in recent days due to erratic power supply as well as drying of canals, he added. Chirirbandar UNO said farmers are unable to operate their power pumps due to shortage ofpower. b , •- ,