Pond excavation on cropland continues
Our Correspondent | Friday, 22 December 2017
RAJSHAHI, Dec 21: Excavation of ponds on agricultural land is continuing in the district in defiance of government rules.
During last five years, more than 3,000 ponds have been excavated so far in Rajshahi only.
The ponds have devastated nearly 18,000 bighas of agricultural land.
Due to excavation of ponds in an unplanned way, the quantity of fertile, as a result of excavation of ponds, food security of the district is being threatened.
It is learnt, without following any government rules and regulations, local influentials were changing the types of land used by excavating ponds in farm land.
Local people have complained, a syndicate is engaged in excavation of ponds and pisciculture were very influential and local administration remained helpless to their power.
Farmers of the district have opined, though at first excavation of those ponds is being termed as a part of development; those would result in dangerous environmental catastrophe in near future.
Excavation of some of those ponds have blocked release of water from nearby beel area whether some have created water logging in neighbouring farm land.
Due to such water logging, farmers of the district fail to cultivate Boro paddy, potato, wheat and vegetables in several thousands bighas of land during the current year.
Saiful Bari Bhulu, Chairman of Parila Union of Paba upazila said, water logging has been created due to unplanned excavation of several hundred ponds in Bhabanipur, Gholbaria, Uzirpur, Bhalukpukur, Motiabeel, Boyer beel areas of the union.
Farmers of those areas are not being able to cultivate vegetables, potato, Boro and wheat during the current season due to water logging created by the excavated ponds.
Local people complain to local administration to take initiatives over the issue for making their land free from water logging.
According to Agriculture Extension department sources in Rajshahi, a total of 3,035 new ponds have been excavated in Rajshahi district during last five years.
A total of 2,110 hectares (18,000 bighas) of agricultural land have been used for excavation of the ponds and water logging has been created in 328 hectares(2,500 bighas) of land from enclosure of those ponds.