Groundwater level falling in country’s northern region

Ground water level has been depleting alarmingly in the country's north and north-western regions, leaving people of seven upazilas there in severe crisis of water for drinking and irrigation.
Excessive extraction of ground water for Boro farming and obstacles to recharging aquifers following construction of dams on the major rivers in the upstream are two prime causes behind desertification of the areas, once famous for their ground water reservoir, experts said.     
Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB), Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE), Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC), and Barind Multipurpose Development Authority (BMDA) officials said Poba, Godagari and Putia under Rajshahi, Shapahar, Porsha and Niamatpur in Naogaon, and Nachol in Chapainawabganj districts are facing the severe water crisis due to alarming fall of ground water aquifer.
Some parts of Rangpur and Dinajpur regions will also face the same situation in the coming years, they said.
But, lack of a comprehensive study in the districts made it difficult to measure the exact rate of depletion recently, they said.
However, the last study, conducted by BADC in 2009, showed water table in 31 districts in the west, north-west and north-eastern districts under Ganges, Meghna and Brahmaputra basins, is depleting by 10-42 cm annually.
BWDB deputy director and a geologist Dr Anwar Zahid told the FE that unplanned Boro farming, based on deep tube-well irrigation, and obstruction to recharge of aquifer are the two reasons behind the situation.
He said compared to exploration, aquifer recharge is alarmingly negligible.
The regions have mire in the ground level from 300 to 2,000 meters.
"But, after pumping water and keeping aquifers un-recharged, mud gets hard, and water lifting from that stage or more depth would be impossible for the high cost involved," he said.
Construction of dams on the major rivers in the upstream is one of the main obstacles to recharging the water aquifer.
He suggested reducing use of ground water and promoting crops that can grow with less water.
Deputy director of DAE, Naogaon M S Nuruzzaman said water level has reduced alarmingly in the districts' three upazilas.
"Many of the deep tube-wells have failed to lift water this boro season due to the depletion," he said.
Many of the household tube-wells, used for procuring drinking water, also failed in pumping water, creating a crisis of fresh water.
"Boro farming has been reduced by 1,300 hectares in the district this year compared to that of last year due to lack of water," he added.    
Additional director of DAE Rajshahi region Mohammad Nurul Amin told the FE that eight districts under the division are now busy with boro cultivation at 0.731 million hectares of land, where 16,433 deep tube-wells and 0.353 million shallow tube-wells are engaged.
Besides the government, a large number of tube-wells are also installed by private operators.
 BMDA executive director Ahsan Habib told the FE that following the deplorable condition of ground water level, they have stopped installation of new deep tube-well since 2012.
"We are also working to promote crops like wheat, mustard oil and pulse that need a negligible amount of water compared to that of boro crop.
Climate specialist Prof Ahsan Uddin Khan said there is a possibility of rise in sea level amid climate change caused by global warming.
"Aquifers should be recharged properly fresh water. Otherwise saline water can creep into those aquifers, creating a devastating situation for our ecosystem as well as existence," he opined.
Former director general of Water Resources Planning Organisation (WARPO) M Enamul Hauqe said the country should adopt a time-befitting 'water diplomacy' to pressurise the neighbouring country for ensuring natural flow of rivers.
 "Lifting water by private sector industries for commercial purposes should be restricted for the sake of the country's future," he added.