Water scarcity grave in vast Barind tract
Tuesday, 23 March 2010
RAJSHAHI, Mar 22 (BSS): Water shortage is gradually becoming grave in the drought-prone Barind area due to scanty rainfall and excessive extraction of groundwater for irrigation and as a result of adverse impact of the climate change caused by the global warming.
Simultaneously, the unprecedented fall of water level in the Padma and its tributaries and other wetlands has created an adverse impact on livelihood of people especially the farmers and other marginal groups.
"Capital dredging of the Padma River has become indispensable to ensure surface water resources for protecting the northern region of the country from environmental degradation," said Foyzullah Chowdhury, Executive Director of Barendra Unnayan Prochesta, a human rights-based non-government development organisation (NGO).
"We have no alternative but to save the mighty Padma from the continuous siltation to conserve the vast tract of the Barind area from desertification," he said, adding, "Adequate fund allocation is needed for the work".
Quoting various research findings, Prof Dr Golam Sabbir Sattar Tapu of Geology and Mining Department of Rajshahi University (RU), said scanty rainfall and excessive extraction of groundwater created an alarming situation among the people of Barind region, especially during the IRRI-Boro season.
The situation, he said, might cause an adverse impact on the people whose livelihoods largely depend on agriculture and sericulture and other factors to rice and other cereal production.
In this regard, he said the groundwater table had been declined by at least 10 metres in some areas of the Barind tract during the last 14 years.
Besides, many water-bodies, including rivers, canals, ponds and other wetlands, remained dry due to lack of inadequate rainfall in the last monsoon.
Simultaneously, the unprecedented fall of water level in the Padma and its tributaries and other wetlands has created an adverse impact on livelihood of people especially the farmers and other marginal groups.
"Capital dredging of the Padma River has become indispensable to ensure surface water resources for protecting the northern region of the country from environmental degradation," said Foyzullah Chowdhury, Executive Director of Barendra Unnayan Prochesta, a human rights-based non-government development organisation (NGO).
"We have no alternative but to save the mighty Padma from the continuous siltation to conserve the vast tract of the Barind area from desertification," he said, adding, "Adequate fund allocation is needed for the work".
Quoting various research findings, Prof Dr Golam Sabbir Sattar Tapu of Geology and Mining Department of Rajshahi University (RU), said scanty rainfall and excessive extraction of groundwater created an alarming situation among the people of Barind region, especially during the IRRI-Boro season.
The situation, he said, might cause an adverse impact on the people whose livelihoods largely depend on agriculture and sericulture and other factors to rice and other cereal production.
In this regard, he said the groundwater table had been declined by at least 10 metres in some areas of the Barind tract during the last 14 years.
Besides, many water-bodies, including rivers, canals, ponds and other wetlands, remained dry due to lack of inadequate rainfall in the last monsoon.