Shortage of water in TIP canals jeopardising Boro farming

NILPHAMARI, Mar 30: There is a huge water shortage in the canals of Teesta irrigation project in Nilphamari district. All the canals that supply water for Boro farming has almost been dried up. Boro famers who use project water are passing their days in anxiety.  

Sources said a minimum of 6000 cusec water is needed for irrigation in the command area whereas only 400 to 500 cusec is now available in the barrage point of the river.

While contacted Aminul Islam, one Boro farmer of Itakhola Union parishad of Sadar upazila said he cultivated Boro in one acre of land depending on project irrigation water but now his farmland has dried up due to shortage of water in the canal. There is no deep or shallow tubewell in the project area for irrigation as the farmer of that area totally depend on TIP water. In the meantime different political and non political organisations arranged human chain and processions demanding sharing of Teesta river water.

 Sources said India diverted the river water at Gajaldoba location of India where they built another barrage in Teesta river.