Mozena lauds installation of solar irrigation pump in Bangladesh

Lauding the installation of solar irrigation pump in Bangladesh's remote areas, US Ambassador in Dhaka Dan W Mozena expressed his government's interest to provide support to the environment-friendly technology, an official said.
Mr Mozena was visiting the solar irrigation pump installed by Green Housing and Energy Ltd (GHEL) at Gabtoli upazila under Baliadighi in Bogra Tuesday.
 "The US Ambassador expressed the interest to work for supporting the solar irrigation system in Bangladesh and to minimise the cost of this technology and make it sustainable," GHEL managing director Dr Mostaq Ahmmed told the FE.
Mr Mozena was surprised at the installation of solar irrigation pump in the remote area, he said.
Solar irrigation pump is being used as an alternative to the diesel-run irrigation one, Mr Ahmmed said, adding that "Cost of the solar pump irrigation is 25 per cent less than that of diesel-operated one."
As an alternative to diesel irrigation pump, GHEL is installing the solar irrigation pumps with the support from the Infrastructure Development Company Ltd (IDCOL).
 "By the end of 2014, we are planning to install 100 solar pumps in different districts of the country under a number of projects," said the MD of GHEL, a local social enterprise.
One such pump is capable of irrigating 80-100 Bighas of land based on the nature of land.
Under this new mode of irrigation, the farmers no longer need to worry for electricity supply due to power cut or for scarcity of natural (rain) water, Mr Ahmmed said.
 "He (Mr Mozena) has highly appreciated the initiative and expressed his willingness to support such kind of project and how to minimise the cost of technology and make it sustainable," the GHEL MD said.
The agricultural sector got an instantaneous revolution and incredible change in irrigation, he added.