Anisur Rahman Khan:
A total of 9,700 acres Boro paddy, which is one percent of the total cultivation, in the haor areas have been damaged due to breaking of embankments, heavy rainfall and untimely flood waters coming down from hilly areas of Indian states.
However, farmers harvested only 41 per cent of paddy till April 20 in seven haor districts.
According to sources, the investigation committee will submit the final report of those involved with irregularities and corruption in the work (project implementation committee-PIC) of haor crop protection embankments to the Water Resources Ministry within two to three days.
“Boro paddy has been cultivated in four lakh 52 thousand 136 hectares of land in seven haor districts-Kishoreganj, Netrokona, Brahmanbaria, Sylhet, Moulvibazar, Habiganj and Sunamganj this year. Besides, Boro paddy has been cultivated on four lakh 98 thousand 180 hectares of land outside the haor. A total (haor and non-haor combined) of 9 lakh 50 thousand 318 hectares of land cultivated Boro paddy. Of this, 9,700 hectares of paddy land has been affected by heavy rains and upstream waters, which is one percent of the total cultivation,” sources in the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) told The New Nation on Thursday.
Meanwhile, the farmers suggested to harvest the haor paddy as soon as it is 80 per cent ripe considering the heavy rains, hill slopes and inclement weather.
Besides, the Ministry of Agriculture has been providing necessary assistance to the farmers for speedy harvesting of ripe paddy. Combine harvester and reaper machine have been brought from other districts and adequate allocation is also given to haor areas as well, Agriculture 9,700 acres
ministry sources said.
According to State Minister for Water Resources Zaheed Farooque, a total of 1,700 combined harvesters and reapers are harvesting paddy in haor areas at this moment. Of these, 1,100 combined harvesters have been brought locally and another 350 combined harvesters have been brought from outside or other districts, he added.
“The affected farmers will be given free seeds and fertilizers in the next boro season. Besides, various food assistance including VGF will be provided throughout the year, so that no one suffers for food. The farmer-friendly government is providing combine harvesters and reapers to reduce the cost of production with 70 per cent subsidy in the haor areas,” Zaheed Farooque told this correspondent.
He further said, “The hill slopes from upstream started entering the area from March 30 this year. As a result, the water level of local rivers and Haors started increasing abnormally. As the works of constructing crops protection dams were better than in 2017, the volume of loss was less than earlier. Till to date, crops of around 5,000 hectares of land have been damaged this year.”
The State Minister said under 727 projects, the authorities have rebuilt or renovated 536km dams in 12 upazilas of Sunamganj expend Tk122 crore. The stipulated time for concluding the works was set in between December 15 last year to February this year. But, the contractors failed to complete the works extending the time for several times.
However, cracks have been found in various embankments of Dirai in Sunamganj at Tufankhali, Boalia, Saralitopa dams of Taral Union, Moiyer Dhala of Kadirpur, Jarulia Ferryghat Dam of Kulanj Union, Matiyapur Dam of Karimpur Union. The fate of Kaliakota Haor, the largest haor west of Dirai, hangs over the Lepsia Bazar Dam on the Dhanu River in the adjoining Khaliajuri Upazila.
According to the Sunamganj Water Development Board (WDB), the river waters have risen in due to heavy rains in Meghalaya and Cherrapunji. The water of Surma river is flowing 13 cm below the danger level at Sholghar point of Sunamganj town.
In addition, crop protection embankments are at risk due to rising water levels in various rivers. If the rains increase, the water level of the rivers in Sunamganj will also increase, WDB sources said.
