Farmers happy over getting low cost water supply

GAIBANDHA, May 17 (BSS): Farmers live in BMDA (Barind Multipurpose Development Authority) command areas in the district are happy getting irrigation facilities at low cost during the current season of Boro paddy. Office sources said over 5,000 hectares of land have been brought under Boro cultivation this year with production target of 25,000 tonnes of paddy. A total of 293 deep tube-wells run on electricity were fully operative. UPVC pipes were also installed under the ground to supply water from all the deep tube-wells to check about 40 per cent water wastage, M. Noor Islam, Executive Engineer of BMDA, told to the news agency. GM Selim Parvez, a Boro paddy grower of Hossainpur village under Fulchhari Upazila, said, "Generally, farmers have to pay Tk 1500-2000 against one Bigha of land for water from the local providers who operate power or diesel-run shallow machines". While, in BMDA command areas, farmers paid only Tk 600-800 for irrigation purpose against one bigha of land, he said. To make the Boro-cultivation a grand success, the BMDA also distributed high quality seeds to the farmers at fair prices. Farmers in BMDA command areas of seven Upazilas in the district expressed deep satisfaction over the irrigation being implemented since 2005 here.