Low groundwater level creates alarm in irrigation sector
Sunday, 6 December 2009
RAJSHAHI, Dec 5 (BSS): Scanty rainfall and excessive extraction of groundwater has created an alarming situation among the barind people and others about irrigation in the forthcoming IRRI-boro season.
According to the sources concerned, the situation may cause an adverse impact on the people whose livelihood largely depend on agriculture and other factors to rice production.
Sources revealed that the groundwater table had declined by at least 10 metres in some areas of the barind tract in the last 14 years.
Kaoser Ali, retired librarian of Mundumala Fazar Ali Degree College under Tanore Upazila, has been carrying out the water- level measurement work of deep tubewells since 1965.
He said that on January 23, 1995 groundwater was found at 11.95 metre below the surface in a tubewell at Mundumala area but on October 19 last the water-level was found at 21.60 metre below surface, measuring a decline of 10 metres in 14 years.
In this situation, he apprehended that a number of deep tubewells in the high barind tract may not get water during the forthcoming irrigation season.
He also said that many water-bodies including rivers, canals, ponds and other wetlands remained dry due to lack of adequate rainfall in the last monsoon which may cause a disastrous condition in the irrigation sector.
After realising the abnormal occurrence, the Barind Multipurpose Development Authority (BMDA), which has been working as the pioneer organisation providing irrigation in the region, has asked the farmers to bring more land under wheat and gram cultivation during the current rabi season as those need less irrigation.
BMDA Executive Engineer Jahangir Alam said that importance was being given on popularising the cropping diversity in the barind land by encouraging farmers to cultivate different heat-tolerant crops like wheat, mustard seed, gram and other nodule-bearing crops during the rabi season.
Referring to the abnormal lowering of the groundwater level he said that the last transplanted aman cultivation consumed huge amount of irrigation water.
According to the sources concerned, the situation may cause an adverse impact on the people whose livelihood largely depend on agriculture and other factors to rice production.
Sources revealed that the groundwater table had declined by at least 10 metres in some areas of the barind tract in the last 14 years.
Kaoser Ali, retired librarian of Mundumala Fazar Ali Degree College under Tanore Upazila, has been carrying out the water- level measurement work of deep tubewells since 1965.
He said that on January 23, 1995 groundwater was found at 11.95 metre below the surface in a tubewell at Mundumala area but on October 19 last the water-level was found at 21.60 metre below surface, measuring a decline of 10 metres in 14 years.
In this situation, he apprehended that a number of deep tubewells in the high barind tract may not get water during the forthcoming irrigation season.
He also said that many water-bodies including rivers, canals, ponds and other wetlands remained dry due to lack of adequate rainfall in the last monsoon which may cause a disastrous condition in the irrigation sector.
After realising the abnormal occurrence, the Barind Multipurpose Development Authority (BMDA), which has been working as the pioneer organisation providing irrigation in the region, has asked the farmers to bring more land under wheat and gram cultivation during the current rabi season as those need less irrigation.
BMDA Executive Engineer Jahangir Alam said that importance was being given on popularising the cropping diversity in the barind land by encouraging farmers to cultivate different heat-tolerant crops like wheat, mustard seed, gram and other nodule-bearing crops during the rabi season.
Referring to the abnormal lowering of the groundwater level he said that the last transplanted aman cultivation consumed huge amount of irrigation water.