Jhenaidah Correspondent :
Severe drought has been prevailing in Jhenaidah as there was no significant rainfall was recorded in the current season. The vegetable farmers are the worst sufferers. Due to this the tender balls of mango, lichi, jackfruits and other seasonal fruits are dropping out everyday. Further, water from the tube wells in some ares are failing to provide water when the water level has fallen sharp.
Mantu Seikh and Nazmul Mandal of Gobindapur village under Sailkupa upazila in Jhenaidah said, they have been spending huge money for irrigation water as the rainfall was least in the current season, said the farmers.
They said, usually the rainfall starts between late February and early March every year. But the rainfall was least in the season. As a result the vegetable plots have been drying up faster which could not be controlled with the limited water from the under ground irrigation pumps.
A mango orchard owner of Baluhar village of Kotchandpur Mahmud Hossain said, most of the tender balls of mango and lichi from his trees were dropped as he could not provide adequate irrigation water in the season. It was really a tough matter for any farmer to provide huge irrigation to every orchard plants in the season, he said. According to the office of the deputy director of the department of agriculture extension in Jhenaidah the farmers in six upazilas brought a total of 8,340 hectares of land under the vegetable farming in the season.
A mango orchard owner of Baluhar village of Kotchandpur Mahmud Hossain said, most of the tender balls of mango and lichi from his trees were dropped as he could not provide adequate irrigation water in the season.
The sources said, they have recorded a total of 109 mili metre rainfall since January this year. 1,211 mimi metre rainfall was recorded in 2011, 916 in 2012, 983 in 2013, 905 in 2014, 1,299.2 mili metre in 2015 and 109 milimetre till April 18.
Deputy director of the department of agriculture extension in Jhenaidah Shah Mohammad Akramul Haque when contacted said, Usually the rainfall is available between June and September every year.
AS the severe drought like climate has been prevailing in the country, they have advised the farmers applying adequate irrigation water on vegetable and other crop lands. They have also advised provide irrigation water to each and every fruit bearing trees.
Normal life badly affected
BSS from Rajshahi adds: People in Rajshahi region are experiencing a hot spell amid a drought-like situation with an average 40 degrees Celsius temperature for the last couples of days and absence of rainfall for a long time.
Sufferings of the people, especially day labourers, rickshaw and van pullers, construction workers, masons and street vendors have turned miserable due to daylong hot spell without respite.
With no traces of rainfall or even a speck of cloud in the sky for over one week, people are being forced to remain indoors and are not daring to come out except for emergencies during daytime. As a result, an adverse impact of trade and business is also been noticed in the district.
The weather of Rajshahi has turned extreme during the recent days. Blockage of natural flow of the river Padma and other common rivers through erecting barrages across the border, unplanned use of underground water for irrigation purposes, unabated felling of trees, non-excavation of ponds, tributaries and water bodies have incurred a huge toll on environment and now the people of the region are facing their impact.
The temperature in Rajshahi is ranging from 39 to 40.2 degrees Celsius during this week with no hope of release with rainfall soon, hinted sources in Meteorological Department in Rajshahi.
Most of the hand-driven tube-wells have become inoperative which is a threat to the residents’ lives.
The Met Office sources said the temperature might further rise in the days ahead. The sufferings of the elderly people, children and the students knew no bounds.
Rajshahi Medical College Hospital sources informed the number of patients being attacked with diarrhea, jaundice and viral fever has nearly doubled during the last couple of weeks. People are being increasingly attacked with heat related diseases like high blood pressure, sun stroke, kidney ailments and various skin diseases, the RMCH sources mentioned.
Sources at Rajshahi Livestock Office said the domestic animals are also suffering from diarrhea, salivation, dysentery and dehydration due to extreme heat. Absence of green grass as fodder has increased their diseases.
Almost all ponds and tributaries of the region have dried up and the scarcity of fish has turned acute in the district. The heat weather is badly affecting most of the standing crops and seasonal fruits like mango and litchi, said Dr Alimuddin, Principal Scientific Officer of Regional Fruit Research Station.
On Friday to Sunday, the highest day temperature in Rajshahi was fluctuating between 40 to 40.2 degrees Celsius respectively.
Severe drought has been prevailing in Jhenaidah as there was no significant rainfall was recorded in the current season. The vegetable farmers are the worst sufferers. Due to this the tender balls of mango, lichi, jackfruits and other seasonal fruits are dropping out everyday. Further, water from the tube wells in some ares are failing to provide water when the water level has fallen sharp.
Mantu Seikh and Nazmul Mandal of Gobindapur village under Sailkupa upazila in Jhenaidah said, they have been spending huge money for irrigation water as the rainfall was least in the current season, said the farmers.
They said, usually the rainfall starts between late February and early March every year. But the rainfall was least in the season. As a result the vegetable plots have been drying up faster which could not be controlled with the limited water from the under ground irrigation pumps.
A mango orchard owner of Baluhar village of Kotchandpur Mahmud Hossain said, most of the tender balls of mango and lichi from his trees were dropped as he could not provide adequate irrigation water in the season. It was really a tough matter for any farmer to provide huge irrigation to every orchard plants in the season, he said. According to the office of the deputy director of the department of agriculture extension in Jhenaidah the farmers in six upazilas brought a total of 8,340 hectares of land under the vegetable farming in the season.
A mango orchard owner of Baluhar village of Kotchandpur Mahmud Hossain said, most of the tender balls of mango and lichi from his trees were dropped as he could not provide adequate irrigation water in the season.
The sources said, they have recorded a total of 109 mili metre rainfall since January this year. 1,211 mimi metre rainfall was recorded in 2011, 916 in 2012, 983 in 2013, 905 in 2014, 1,299.2 mili metre in 2015 and 109 milimetre till April 18.
Deputy director of the department of agriculture extension in Jhenaidah Shah Mohammad Akramul Haque when contacted said, Usually the rainfall is available between June and September every year.
AS the severe drought like climate has been prevailing in the country, they have advised the farmers applying adequate irrigation water on vegetable and other crop lands. They have also advised provide irrigation water to each and every fruit bearing trees.
Normal life badly affected
BSS from Rajshahi adds: People in Rajshahi region are experiencing a hot spell amid a drought-like situation with an average 40 degrees Celsius temperature for the last couples of days and absence of rainfall for a long time.
Sufferings of the people, especially day labourers, rickshaw and van pullers, construction workers, masons and street vendors have turned miserable due to daylong hot spell without respite.
With no traces of rainfall or even a speck of cloud in the sky for over one week, people are being forced to remain indoors and are not daring to come out except for emergencies during daytime. As a result, an adverse impact of trade and business is also been noticed in the district.
The weather of Rajshahi has turned extreme during the recent days. Blockage of natural flow of the river Padma and other common rivers through erecting barrages across the border, unplanned use of underground water for irrigation purposes, unabated felling of trees, non-excavation of ponds, tributaries and water bodies have incurred a huge toll on environment and now the people of the region are facing their impact.
The temperature in Rajshahi is ranging from 39 to 40.2 degrees Celsius during this week with no hope of release with rainfall soon, hinted sources in Meteorological Department in Rajshahi.
Most of the hand-driven tube-wells have become inoperative which is a threat to the residents’ lives.
The Met Office sources said the temperature might further rise in the days ahead. The sufferings of the elderly people, children and the students knew no bounds.
Rajshahi Medical College Hospital sources informed the number of patients being attacked with diarrhea, jaundice and viral fever has nearly doubled during the last couple of weeks. People are being increasingly attacked with heat related diseases like high blood pressure, sun stroke, kidney ailments and various skin diseases, the RMCH sources mentioned.
Sources at Rajshahi Livestock Office said the domestic animals are also suffering from diarrhea, salivation, dysentery and dehydration due to extreme heat. Absence of green grass as fodder has increased their diseases.
Almost all ponds and tributaries of the region have dried up and the scarcity of fish has turned acute in the district. The heat weather is badly affecting most of the standing crops and seasonal fruits like mango and litchi, said Dr Alimuddin, Principal Scientific Officer of Regional Fruit Research Station.
On Friday to Sunday, the highest day temperature in Rajshahi was fluctuating between 40 to 40.2 degrees Celsius respectively.
