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Ensure right to use water in Barind area

Farmers tell public hearing

BSS, Rajshahi
A large number of farmers at a public hearing here yesterday unequivocally called for undertaking a need-oriented step to ensure right to use water for drinking and irrigation purposes in the vast tract of dried Barind area.
They viewed that a large number of surface water have become derelict while the -existing ones are being used for commercial purposes by the landlords forcing the poor and marginal people out of using those.
Enriching the surface water through re-excavating the derelict 'khas' (fallow) ponds and canals across the area could be the means of overcoming the crisis, they mentioned.
The farmers made these observations while addressing the 'Climate: Poverty Hearing hosted by Agriculture Sustainable and Socio-Economic Development Organisation (ASSEDO) under its 'Potential of khas ponds and canals in Barind area: Sustainable rural livelihood in the face of climate change' programme on the Dubail Hat High School premises under Tanore upazila.
Panchandander UP member Zaidur Rahman opened the programme as the chief guest, saying that climate change has now caused a major concern to agriculture, environment, ecology, biodiversity, climatic patterns and even existence of the habitation and civilisation in the Barind area.
Apart from this, he said rights of poor and marginal farmers on the existing natural resources, including khas
ponds and canals, are gradually receding due to various reasons especially the climate change impacts leading to their livelihood vulnerable.
“We are very anxious over the coming drought season, so we appeal to the government for taking urgent step," Zaidur said, adding that rights on water must be ensured.
About 1,000 people, who are victims of drought, comprising farmers, fishermen and landless male and female farmers, including 'aboriginals, from the surrounding villages attended the gathering.
The speakers revealed that there are 693 ponds and eight canals in seven unions of the upazila but most of those were derelict due to lack of proper maintenance and called for re-excavating those as early as possible.
They said importance should be given on renovating and preserving the derelict ponds and canals through re-excavation to ensure sustainable livelihood of the poor farmers.
In his address of welcome, Executive Director of ASSEDO Rabiul Alam said the farmers should adapt with the climate change and escape from drought and flood in particular.
A group of five judges --social worker Rabiul Islam, freedom fighter Sirajul Islam, schoolteacher Hamidur Rahman, UP member Zahidur Rahman and female UP member Zarina Begum --listened to the problems and gave elaborate explanations in this regard.
Victim farmers Yusuf Ali, Lokman Hossain, Zafar Ali
and Mofiz Mian, among others, took part in the plenarysession.
They viewed that excessive use of groundwater through irrigation depletes groundwater table, which makes the hand-driven tubewells inoperative and the area experiences a drinkingwatershortage.
As part of arranging a Series of climate-poverty hearing at different drought- prone areas in Rajshahi, Naogaon and other adjoining districts, Oxfam-GB under its Campaign for Sustainable Rural Livelihood (CSRL) programme extended necessary support to hold the farmers meeting with the slogan of "Richer nations are responsible for climate change that is depleting Bangladesh”.
Because of the adverse impacts of climate change, they said extreme droughts,
abnormal lowering of groundwater, pest attacks in the crop fields and many other natural calamities have been causing huge damages in the area too.
In the closing session, they also put forward a set of 11 recommendations which included ensuring free of cost irrigation water to the poor -and crop-sharers, right to access to-khas pohds-ahd calnals; conserva'ti'on • of’ derelict ponds and canals, best uses of surface and rainwater water, stern action against the sellers of adulterated fertiliser and pesticides, exploring economics of rice and fish-based farming in ponds and canals, feasibility of integrated agricultureaquaculture practices in irrigated land towards the increase in water productivity and livelihood impacts of integrated farming under diversified irrigated ecosystems.