Irrigation canal water help achieve bumper boro yields

In the northern part of the country, the main crops of 5 lakh farmers in Nilphamari, Rangpur and Dinajpur districts are now pepper, onion, pumpkin, maize and boro paddy. The Water Development Board (Paubo) in Dimla has set an example to ensure Teesta water supply this season.

Lockdown is in effect all over the country to avoid corona infection. In this situation, Paubo is ensuring that the farmer is not deprived of irrigation facilities. As a result, the beneficiary farmers did not have difficulty in getting irrigation facilities on both sides of the main canal.

According to Paubo, 270 water management teams have been formed among the beneficiary farmers of 12 upazilas to get irrigation facilities this season. They mainly distribute water for the convenience of the farmers. In this process water distribution and irrigation can be done easily. According to the farmers, this time the bumper crop of Boro has been harvested. So a smile on their face.

On Friday (April 16) morning, it was seen on the ground that the water flow in the Teesta was low as usual, but there was no shortage of water flow (wire) this season. Therefore, 12 northern upazilas including Nilphamari Sadar, Rangpur Sadar, Badarganj, Gangachara, Taraganj, Jaldhaka, Dimla, Kishoreganj, Dinajpur, Parbathipur, Khansama and Chirirbandar are dependent on the water of Teesta river.

According to a statistic, the target for irrigation in the current Kharif-1 season was 44,500 hectares of land. But due to the good flow of water (layer) in the river Teesta, Paubo has been able to irrigate 50,000 hectares of land beyond that target. The farmers of those areas are getting more irrigation facilities in 5,500 hectares of land than the target. Due to the supply of plenty of water, the people of the Teesta Char area are benefiting from the cultivation of pepper, onion, pumpkin, maize and boro. 

Azizul Islam, a farmer from Majhapara village in Ramnagar union of Nilphamari Sadar, said the farmer was worried that the corona virus could affect irrigation as people were under house arrest. But it was seen that the farmers of this region are getting more irrigation facilities in 5,500 hectares of land than the target. Many are expecting bumper yields of paddy.

Hafizul Islam, a farmer in the same area, said, "I have cultivated 28 varieties of paddy in three bighas of land with canal water this time." I am expecting 22 to 25 manas of paddy per bigha. And in a few days I will be able to take all the rice home. The cost of cultivating paddy in irrigation water is low and the profit is high.

In this regard, Rafiul Bari, Irrigation Extension Officer of Dalia Water Development Board, said on his mobile phone that irrigation activities will not be stopped in Mujib year but double water is being supplied. In the agricultural sector, the government is coming up with all kinds of benefits including subsidy. Therefore, irrigation activities will continue even on public holidays.

He said irrigation activities on farmers' lands started from January 25 this year in the current Rabi and Kharif-1 seasons. The Teesta Barrage Command area continues to provide supplementary irrigation as the water flow is good upstream this season. Currently, the Teesta water flow has increased to a record amount during the dry season.

Paubo's water gauge (gauge reader) Nurul Islam said that although 2,000 cusecs of water was available at the beginning of January, now that water flow is getting three to three and a half thousand cusecs. As a result, the surrounding area including Soylab Dinajpur Canal in the water. So it has been easier to provide irrigation this season.

Rabiaul Islam, executive engineer of Dalia Water Development Board, said, "Despite the announcement of public holidays and lockdowns across the country due to corona virus, we have taken this initiative to cultivate bora paddy, maize and chilli onion in farmers' lands and bring about an agricultural revolution in the country." Apart from this, all the officers and employees of Paubo are working regularly to make the year of Mujib a success.

He added that the river water is getting enough as the talks between the two countries on the Teesta water agreement are continuing. In addition, 12 regions of the country and five thousand 428 villages in the Teesta coastal char region are involved in the fate of the people.