3,000 boro farmers denied cheap irrigation

Around 3,000 boro farmers in Saidpur upazila under Nilphamari district have to count more than double the usual cost for irrigation this season as 37 government-owned deep tube-wells did not get power connection from the Rural Electrification Board (REB).

The tube-wells belong to Bangladesh Agriculture Development Corporation (BADC) and Barind Multipurpose Development Society (BMDS).

Three hundred deep tube-wells, including 225 belonging to BMDC and 75 others of BADC, are in operation in six upazilas of the district in the ongoing boro season for irrigating the command area comprising 24 thousand acres of land, said sources of the Department of Agriculture Extension.

Each of the tube-wells has a capacity to cover 80 acres of land.

Despite sending several request notes, 31 tube-wells of BADC and six others of BMDC have not got power connection from Rangpur Palli Bidyut Samity-2 at Paglapir village in neighbouring Rangpur district under the REB, said officials.

As a result, around 5,000 farmers in Khata Modhupur, Kashiram Belpukur, Bangalipur, Kamar Pukur and Botlagari unions of Saidpur upazila are deprived of cheap irrigation in about 3,000 acres of land.

Irrigation in one bigha (30 decimal) of land with government owned deep tube-well water costs only Tk 800 to Tk 1000 in a season, whereas farmers have to pay Tk 2200 to Tk 2500 for getting water from a private-owned shallow tube-well to irrigate the same area, said farmers Abdul Bari and Al-Amin of Kashiram Belpukur union.