588 irrigation tools will be operated in Sylhet this winter
OUR CORRESPONDENT | Sunday, 6 October 2019
SYLHET, Oct 05: A total of 588 irrigation tools would be operated in the Sylhet region during the winter season this year for providing irrigation facilities for Boro paddy land. These would facilitate irrigation to 19,055 hectares of land.
Superintending Engineer of Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC), Sylhet Zone, Pronajit Kumar Deb told this correspondent the tools include 542 low lift pumps (LLP) of different capacities, 37 force mode irrigation pumps (deep tubewell) and nine solar irrigation units, set in the four districts of Sylhet division.
Of the total the major area, highest 18,320 hectares, would be covered by the low lift pumps while the force mode pumps would cover 555 hectares and the solar-run units would give irrigation to 180 hectares, the official added.
Although 10 solar-run units were installed in the division during the last few years under a major irrigation project for the region, nine would be on operation this year too as the last year's Boro season while one has been suffering technical faults, the official informed.
Of these, two were established at Meghergaon of Hatkhola union in Sylhet Sadar upazila and at Rustompur-Kholamadhab of Gowainghat uapzila in Sylhet district, two in Habiganj district, one in Moulvibazar district and highest five in Derai upazila of Sunamganj district.
It may be stated here that for setting the solar unit at Meghergaon in Sylhet Sadar uapzila, BADC won the first prize at district and division level under Prime Minister's branding and innovation programme for reducing electricity waste, renewable energy and solar power use in 2018.
Due to nature of soil with rocky condition, sinking irrigation tools in Sylhet region is troublesome although it needs irrigation facilities during the dry season. This is one of the reasons of this region's poor state in irrigation facilities, the officials said.
Still huge cultivable lands remain fallow due to lack of irrigation facility during dry season every year.
[email protected]