Scanty flow in Teesta pushes farmers to tobacco cultivation
Tobacco cultivation in Teesta Irrigation Project area has been increasing alarmingly in recent times as Water Development Board (WDB) is unable to provide adequate irrigation facilities to Boro farmers due to scanty water flow in the Teesta river.
A number of agronomists, physicians and environmentalists have expressed their concern over increase of tobacco farming as it poses a serious threat to human health as well as environment.
During a recent visit to different villages like Kukha Para, Singdoi, Ramnagar, Bahali Para in Sadar upazila, Kalkeut, Horish Chandra Pat, Uttar Deshibai, Araji Kathali, Dundibari in Jaldhaka upazila along the project area this correspondent found that tobacco has been cultivated on thousands of acres of land on both sides of different narrow Teesta canals.
“My land is situated along a remote part of tertiary canal (side canal) where water hardly reaches and to avoid uncertainty, I cultivated tobacco on it as it required least irrigation,” farmer Mominul Islam of Sindoi village.
Farmers are compelled to irrigate their farmland using power pumps or diesel-run pumps due to insufficient water supply from Teesta irrigation project, Boro farmer Moktar Hossain of Bahalipara village in Sadar upazila said, adding that they have to pay Tk 3000 to Tk 3500 to the pump owners for irrigation of one bigha of land.
Ramnagar Union Parishad (UP) Chairman Mizanur Rahman said, “Cultivation of tobacco has been almost doubled in the project area in the last couple of years as many farmers do not get irrigation facilities."
According to Nilphamari Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) about 3100 hectares of land in the district have been brought under tobacco cultivation this year.
WDB Agriculture Extension Officer Rafiul Bari said farmers are inclining towards tobacco cultivation as it required less irrigation.
“We have set a target to provide irrigation in 29,100 hectares of Boro field this year as water flow in Teesta is now 1500 cusec on an average but it will be difficult to fulfil the said target if the flow falls to 400 to 500 cusec like the previous years,” Rafiul said.
Nilphamari Civil Surgeon Dr Ranjit Kumar Barman said many deadly diseases caused by harmful smoking and consuming dried tobacco leaves and powered tobacco, locally known as Jarda and Gul respectively.
Nilphamari DAE Deputy Director Abul Kashem Azad said the authorities concerned must ensure smooth irrigation facilities in Teesta irrigation project area so that farmers can go for diversified crops cultivation and divert them from tobacco cultivation.
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