Saline water threatens crops

The collpased dyke on Bhadra canal in Bauria village under Galachipa upazila has remained without any repair for over a year, as a result of which saline water enters the nearby farmlands.

Farmers of Bauria, Chalitabunia, Khandakhali, Gerabunia, Ramanando, Sonakhali, Kanchonbaria and Algee villages in Amkhola union under the upazila are worried over cultivation of crops as saline water enters the fields through the damaged sluice gate.

Water Development Board (WDB) Sub-Assistant Engineer Md Javed Iqbal said WDB built the two-door sluice gate in 1991 at a cost of Tk 50 lakh to protect agricultural land of the villages from saline water of nearby Buragourano river.

The dyke on both sides of the sluice gate was washed away by heavy tidal surge in the rainy season in 2016, but the sluice gate still stands. Saline water enters the villages through the damaged portions on both sides of the sluice gate.

Md Delwar Hossain, 40, a marginal farmer of Bauria village, said he is worried about cultivating crops as saline water enters the fields.

"I got good profit by cultivating watermelon for several years on my fields, but from last year crop cultivation has become uncertain," he said. The sluice gate is useless, he added.

Golam Mostafa, another farmer, said they tried to save the dyke, but in vain. He cultivated mung bean, dal and watermelon on his nine acres of land last year, but saline water entered his fields, he said. They are worried that saline water will enter the crops fields this year also, he added. Like Delwar and Mostafa, several thousand farmers of the villages are also worried over the same issue.

Upazila Agriculture Extension Officer Abdul Mannan said there are 410 hectares of cultivable agricultural land in the eight villages and the farmers are in uncertainty over cultivation of crops. The authorities concerned should take immediate steps to repair the dyke, considering the interest of farmers, he added.

Sub-assistant engineer of WDB said they are planning to build a three-door sluice gate and repair the dyke at an estimated cost of Tk 4.83 crore.