Irrigation under TBI project hampered due to drastic fall of water-level
Tuesday, 24 February 2009
RANGPUR, Feb 23 (UNB): Irrigation activities under the Teesta Barrage Irrigation (TBI) Project were being badly hampered during the peak season of irri-boro cultivation due to drastic fall of water-level in the river following unilateral withdrawal of water by India.
Failing to get water from the project, many farmers under the areas were now irrigating their land by installing shallow pump and tube wells, which was very costly.
Farmers, who could not bear the cost of shallow pump, were eagerly waiting for the rain as they have no other alternative.
The TBI Project was commissioned in 1998 to give irrigation facilities to 0.11 million hectares in 12 upazilas of Rangpur, Nilphamari and Dinajpur districts.
Farmers claimed that vast land in the district had dried up and cracks developed on some land for want of water.
Local agriculture officials admitted that cracks have developed on more than 30,000 hectares stretching from Ghachi to Moynakuthi under Gangachhara Upazila of the district due to lack of irrigation.
Farmers said they face water crisis every year but this year it turned worst. Thousands of farmers last week blockaded road at Shobasha in Gangachhara Upazila demanding supply of sufficient water for irrigation disrupting traffic movement on the road for an hour.
The farmers also threatened to go for tougher action programme if their demand is not met immediately.
TBI Project sources said some 10,000 cusec water is needed to give irrigation facilities to 0.11 million hectares but the water flow near the barrage point is now only 2,000 cusec.
India withdraws unilaterally a majority share of its water at Gazaldoba, disrupting severely Bangladesh's Teesta Barrage Irrigation scheme.
Failing to get water from the project, many farmers under the areas were now irrigating their land by installing shallow pump and tube wells, which was very costly.
Farmers, who could not bear the cost of shallow pump, were eagerly waiting for the rain as they have no other alternative.
The TBI Project was commissioned in 1998 to give irrigation facilities to 0.11 million hectares in 12 upazilas of Rangpur, Nilphamari and Dinajpur districts.
Farmers claimed that vast land in the district had dried up and cracks developed on some land for want of water.
Local agriculture officials admitted that cracks have developed on more than 30,000 hectares stretching from Ghachi to Moynakuthi under Gangachhara Upazila of the district due to lack of irrigation.
Farmers said they face water crisis every year but this year it turned worst. Thousands of farmers last week blockaded road at Shobasha in Gangachhara Upazila demanding supply of sufficient water for irrigation disrupting traffic movement on the road for an hour.
The farmers also threatened to go for tougher action programme if their demand is not met immediately.
TBI Project sources said some 10,000 cusec water is needed to give irrigation facilities to 0.11 million hectares but the water flow near the barrage point is now only 2,000 cusec.
India withdraws unilaterally a majority share of its water at Gazaldoba, disrupting severely Bangladesh's Teesta Barrage Irrigation scheme.