Mushrooming Dwellings, Brick Kilns
Cultivable lands decreasing fast in Rangpur region
Cultivable lands have been shrinking fast in the region due to an increase in construction of dwelling houses and brick-fields on the farmlands.
If the conversion of arable land continues at the current pace, production of aman paddy and other crops will be badly affected in the near future, fear farmers and officials.
In the current season, production of aman will fall short of target in the region as the total land brought under the cultivation is 60,000 hectares less than that of last year.
Farmers have brought 1,024,068 hectares of land under aman cultivation in eight districts in the region in the current season whereas the paddy was cultivated on about 1,084,068 hectares in the last season.
Deputy Director of Rangpur Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) Firoz Ahmed attributed the shortfall to occupying cultivable land for other purposes, including for construction of dwelling houses and brick kilns.
He said the region has been losing arable lands due to the use of farmlands for other purposes, resulting in a cut in cultivation target.
He, however, hoped that the growers, after harvesting of jute, will bring more lands under aman cultivation.
There are at least 487 brick fields in the region and at least 10 acres were required for building each one, affecting the agricultural production, said agronomists.
The brick fields were set up on the farmlands mostly without taking permission from the Department of the Environment (DoE).
Of the total brick kilns, 108 are in Rangpur district, 41 in Kurigram, 32 in Nilphamari, 52 in Gaibandha, 22 in Lalmonirhat, 157 in Dinajpur, 50 in Thakurgaon and 25 in Panchagarh districts.
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