Farmers cry for irrigation water

Irrigation in 200 hectares of boro fields under Teesta Irrigation Project has become uncertain as the damaged embankment of a secondary canal is yet to be repaired in Kishoreganj upazila.

Forty feet of the right embankment at Putimari Kacharipara village of S7T canal collapsed on April 12. It collapsed as some unscrupulous people took water from the canal by inserting plastic pipes through the embankment instead of using Water Development Board (WDB) outlets to avoid paying the charges.

Saidpur Division Sub-Assistant Engineer Mizanur Rahman said onrush of outgoing water through the breach instantly inundated a big area of boro fields. He said to save more areas from further inundation they closed all the gates of a regulator in the upstream to stop water flow through the canal the same night.

Putimari Union Parishad Chairman Abu Sayem Liton said it is the flowering stage of the boro plants now and irrigation is essential during this period, but it is impossible as there is no water in the canal.

Liton said the damaged portion has not been repaired yet, so the regulator gates are still closed. He said he requested the WDB authorities to repair it, but in vain.

Farmer Abu Taleb said flowers will fall in his three bighas of boro fields if there is no water.

Many farmers, including Nesar Ali and Rabiul Islam, expressed concern, saying that if the situation continued for ten more days it would bring disaster for them as they have no alternate arrangement for irrigation.

Upazila Agriculture Extension Officer Enamul Huque said water for boro plants is very important at this stage, otherwise the paddy will turn sterile and there will be no rice inside.

WDB Saidpur division Executive Engineer Abdus Shahid said they will start repair work on emergency basis within a couple of days.

He said they are preparing to file a case against the people responsible for the damage.