Boro farmers worried as deep tube-wells cannot lift water
Farmers in Nalitabari upazila of the district are in great distress as a large number of tube-wells meant for irritation went out of operation due to sharp fall in groundwater table during the current boro season.
The shallow tube-wells installed in 80s cannot lift at ease the required volume of irrigation water during March-April period every year because of fall in the water table.
The situation turned worse this year as nearly 50 deep tube-wells went out of order due to absence of water in hill areas, said the farmers.
They said if water supply is not ensured immediately, around 1,000 acres of land will remain uncultivated in Joinuddinpara, Chinamara, Sutiapar, Ghailara Kaolara, Moidhyakmra, Kakarkandi, Mondaliapara, Bailtoil, Pithapuni, Shalmar, Baruajani Bishgiripara, Ramchandrachura, Tantar, Kalakuma, Hatipagar, Nayabeel, Baigarpara and Rupakura villages.
Gahilara village boro-scheme manager Amjad Ali said only 32 acres out of 120 acres are being cultivated with the help of his deep tube-wells. The boro plants are getting damaged as his tube-wells have been lying idle for the last few days due to depletion of groundwater, he said.
Joinuddinpara boro-scheme manager Nazrul Islam said, most farmers cannot prepare their land and transplant boro seedlings due to lack of water as deep tube-wells remain out of operation.
Talking to the news agency, several other irrigation pump owners said they could not operate their pump properly as the water table went down.
Upazila BRDB chairman Dr Daliluddin said, at least 73 deep tube-wells were installed in the upazila during 80s. But now most of them remain out of operation, hampering irrigation during the peak boro paddy cultivation season.
Farmers said if it does not rain soon, they will have to count huge loss this season due to the irrigation problem. They said underground water table has sharply depleted, making it hard to get water through deep tube-wells.
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