Boro farming uncertain

Removal of silt in the Teesta river has remained suspended since September last year as the operational life of its dredger has already expired.

Water Development Board (WDB) has stopped the silt removal work near the Teesta Barrage, hampering Boro farming.

 Boro cultivation target under Teesta irrigation project in the district may not be achieved this year as a huge amount of silt is likely to be deposited in the river and irrigation canal beds, hindering smooth flow of water.

Dalia Division Sub-Divisional Engineer (Mechanical) Md Rubaiyat Imtiaz said they were compelled to stop excavation in the silt trap from September last year after removing only 50,000 cubic metres of silt as the dredger cannot operate any longer.

The outdated dredger was made in 1997 and its 10-year guarantee period expired in 2007, but it was operated with difficulty by repeated repairing, he added.

WDB Sub-Assistant Engineer (Civil) Tanvir Hossain said Teesta water carries nine lakh tonnes of silt every year and a good portion of it is diverted to a specialised ditch called silt trap at the junction of the river and the main irrigation canal at Dalia village.

Diverted silt is trapped there to release clear water to flow through canals for irrigation and the silt is removed by excavating with dredger, he added.

Agriculture Extension Officer Rafiul Bari said they have cut command area under the project to provide irrigation to only 8,000 hectares of land, although it was 65,000 hectares two years ago.

“We can increase the command area if sufficient water flow in the Teesta and ensuring smooth water passage through canals is guaranteed by removing silt from the silt trap,” he added.

He said they asked the higher authorities for allotment of a new dredger or a new sand pump and a high powered engine to set up in the old dredger.

Suspension of silt trap dredging is worrying farmers in the project's command area as they do not know if they will get cheap surface water for irrigation.

Balagram village Beneficiary Farmers' Group President Azizul Islam said if irrigation in the Teesta project is hampered, they will have to count an additional Tk 3,000 to Tk 4,000 per bigha for irrigation using power pumps.

Executive Engineer AKM Shamsuzzoha said the authorities concerned are expected to give positive decision shortly, otherwise irrigation during the Boro season in the command area will be hindered.