Once fertile crop land now looks like water body
Barapukuria victims go without Irri-boro farming
Flooded farmlands at Bolorampur village near Barapukuria Coalmine in Phulbari upazila of Dinajpur district have turned into uncultivable area following land subsidence due to geographical faults caused by underground mining. Photo: STAR
Around 500 acres of fertile agricultural lands of 15 villages around Barapukuria Coal Mine Company Ltd (BCMCL) could not be brought under Irri-boro farming this season due to prolonged water logging. Although sources at local Department of Agriculture Extension gave the information, the BCMCL authorities officially confirmed that about 201.07 acres of arable land around the coalmine area subsided by two to three feet due to underground geological fault since May 2006, causing water logging in the area. The land subsidence affected at least 2,600 families and 646 acres of arable and habitable lands, said a recent survey report of BCMCL. The coalmine authorities first detected the land subsidence in May 2006. Meanwhile, residents of the 15 villages affected by land subsidence have continued fast unto death near the gate of BCMCL office for the second day yesterday to realise their demands, including compensation and rehabilitation. Earlier on several occasions, they staged demonstrations to press for their demands. The affected areas remain under water round the year as the BCMCL pumped out water from underground every day, locals said, adding that the situation worsens during the rains. The frequent land subsidence badly affected the arable land at different villages including Kalupara, Bolorampur, Gigagari, Bashudevpur, Moupukur, Patigram, Kashidanga and Palpara, they said. People of these villages mostly depend on agriculture to earn their livelihood. But the land subsidence has appeared as a major concern for the farmers and the landowners as crop production has fallen sharply. It has also affected eight to 10 husking mills in the area. "My two and a half acres of land at Bolorampur village went under water after the land subsidence. Last year I cultivated the land but this year I could not do it as waterlogging has worsened," said farmer Md Osman Goni. "The BCMCL authorities paid me about Tk 10,000 as compensation in 2009. Is this amount sufficient to maintain a seven-member family?" he said. Farmer Mominul Islam of Boddyanathpur village said he could not bring his three and a half acres of land under boro cultivation this year due to water logging. He incurred a huge loss during the last aman season as the standing crops went under water. The land subsidence this year forced about 750 farmers of the affected villages to switch to other professions for survival, said Ibrahim Khalil, convener of Jibon O Shampad Rakkha Committee. The BCMCL officials said around Tk 3 crore has so far been distributed as compensation among the affected farmers. Excessive water pumping by the BCMCL and 250MW Barapukuria Power Plant lowered the underground water level at 30 villages, creating water crisis and hampering irrigation in boro fields. The BCMCL and the power plant jointly pump out about 2,500 tonnes of water per hour. The BCMCL has recently submitted a Tk 324 crore master plan to the government to compensate and rehabilitate the affected people.
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