Boro plants go under water in Netrakona

NETRAKONA, Apr 03 (UNB): Boro crops on 500 acres land of haor areas in Khalijuri upazila of Netrakona district went under water due to the onrush of hill water, reports UNB.

If the situation continues for one week more, 21,000 hectares of crops land will be submerged, said local people.

Already 1013 hectares of land have been damaged by the hill water from March 30 to April 2, according to the upazila agriculture officials.

Monir Hossain, a farmer of Khaliajuri sadar upazila headquarters, said the hill water entered into the low lands of the Kirtankhola haor, Chinai Haor, Badiarchar Haor, Taktarer Haor, Manijan Haor, Lebria Haor, Hemnagar Haor, Gangabando Haor, Nayakhal Haor, Bagani Haor, and Dakatikhal Haor, damaging Boro crops.

Twenty acres of Boro crops have been damaged by the onrush of hill water, he said. This year, a total of 21,120 hectares of land have been brought under Boro cultivation. The farmers also feared damage if the situation continues.

ML Soikat, Executive engineer of Netrakona Water Development Board, said the source of the hill water is Cherapunji in India and the water enters through the Dhanu River after crossing the Jadukata and Surma rivers in Sunamganj district.

The water level of the Dhanu River increased six feet while in the past three hours it has increased by three feet more.

Netrakona Deputy Commisioner Kazi Mohamamd Abdur Rahman said every year the local administration builds an embankment for protecting floods and on line with that, the dam was constructed maintaining a fixed height.

We are taking preparation to make a list of the affected farmers for providing necessary assistance from the government, he said.