Solar irrigation makes remote char villagers happy

RAJSHAHI, May 20 (BSS): Two solar power-based irrigation pumps have brought blessings for many remote and hard-to-reach char villagers under Godagari Upazila of the district.
Varieties of standing crops like paddy, maize and mustard on 40 bighas of lands are being irrigated through the solar panel driven pumps for the last couple of years benefiting the growers in many ways. Particularly, people in char areas are highly benefited because collection of diesel for irrigation is very troublesome.
The farmers will no more depend on diesel or on the mercy of rainwater for crop production as the solar irrigation system has become successful. Around 35 to 50 bighas of land could be brought under crop farming in the area through using the modern technology.
Barind Multipurpose Development Authorities (BMDA) has commissioned the solar panel and pumps under a pilot project in Char Nawshera and Diar Manik Chalk. The scheme helps to improve the living and livelihood condition of three char villages through elevating the irrigation, rural communication and sanitation system.
Engineer Abdur Rashid, Executive Director-in-Charge of BMDA, said the 24-piece solar module contains integrated energy of 720 volt and each of the pumps has five horse powers along with water discharging capacity of 300 litres per hour. Lifespan of the system has been set to 20 years.
The solar system pump has a capacity to provide irrigation to 35 to 50 bighas of cropping land round the year.
After assessing success of the pilot scheme, the BMDA adopted a mega project with an estimated cost of around Tk 2 billion (200 crore) which has provision of setting up 1,000 solar pumps, construction of 25 kilometers concrete roads and 2,000 sanitary latrines.
The improved transportation network will facilitate and reduce the transportation cost and create marketing facility of the produce.
Sanitary latrines will be provided to the poor and marginalised households for livelihood and pro-poor institutional development.
This will minimise the spread of water-borne diseases in the region and increase the availability of safe drinking water. To this end, community people will be imparted training on campaigning and awareness building on health and nutrition.
Through road maintenance, interests of the beneficiary market laborers group and women market traders along with poor women traders are being protected.