Use of surface water stressed

Presenting the first-ever groundwater zoning map at the seminar at the Sech (irrigation) Bhavan in the city, its main architect Md Eftekharul Alam of Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC) said groundwater table has gone down below the suction limit of shallow tube wells (STWs), beyond 7.6 metre underneath, in as many as150 upazilas of 31 districts during March-April.

"Sometimes water level in the underground aquifer goes further down and remains between 7.6 metre to 11.3 metre. In this situation, farmers have to dig pit and place irrigation equipment in it for water. Water from the surrounding irrigated land is collected in the pit through seepage. In muddy or watered land it is difficult to operate diesel or electric set STW," said engineer Eftekharul Alam who has developed the map over the last 15 months using the last 35 years' aquifer data. BADC kept uninterrupted records of as many as 3,700 STWs across the country at an interval of every 15 days for this period.

On the occasion of official launching of the map, BADC yesterday organised the seminar on 'Ground Water Zoning Map and Its Application.'

Agriculture Minister MK Anwar was present as chief guest. State Minister for Finance and Planning Anwarul Kabir Talukder and Agriculture Secretary Kazi Abul Kashem attended it as special guests.

Experts, including academics from Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) and Dhaka University, cautioned against 'groundwater mining' and called for political commitment to harness surface water and stop silting up and grabbing water bodies.

"During the last 13 years, number of STWs has increased 2.90 times but irrigated area per STW has decreased by 22 percent. There are several reasons for the reduction in the STW irrigated area, but groundwater table lowering is the main cause of this reduction," said Eftekharul Alam, Assistant Chief Engineer of BADC.

As many as 11.29 lakh STWs are in operation now in the country with an overwhelming share of 68 percent of irrigated cropland under their coverage.

Buet Prof Dr Md Mujibur Rahman said water mining is not sustainable and "we're extracting 51 percent of our available groundwater whereas extraction over 40 percent is considered stressful internationally."

Dr Mujibur felt pity at the dismal scenario of surface water management in the country reminding the fact to all that after Amazon and Congo, the Padma-Jamuna river system is the third largest discharger of fresh water flow to ocean in the world.

MK Anwar noted that as long the water extracted from the underground is replenished duly there was no point of worry. He, however, agreed on the issue of harnessing surface water.

Emphasising on increasing irrigation efficiency in Bangladesh, he expressed the urgency of releasing at least 25 percent of land from rice cultivation for growing other cash crops for the economic benefits of the farmers.

The groundwater zoning map shows that a record high of 78 percent irrigated croplands in Pabna have become critical for STW operation, followed by 75 percent in Comilla, 60 percent in Kushtia and Naogaon 55 percent in Mymensingh and Cox's Bazar, 50 percent in Joypurhat, 49 percent in Chittagong, 45 percent in Bogra and Rajbari and 30 percent in Jhenidah, Netrakona, Gazipur and Narayanganj.

Besides, farmers are being unable to draw water by STWs in 28 percent of the lands in Sherpur, 20 percent in Jamalpur and Tangail, 18 percent in Natore, 16 percent in Manikganj, 15 percent in Dhaka, Narsingdi and Sirajganj and 10 percent in Rajshahi, Chapainawabganj, Kishoreganj and Munshiganj.

With BADC Chairman Md Muklesur Rahman in the chair, the seminar was also addressed by Dr Lutfar Rahman Khan, Mahmudur Rahman Chowdhury, Kazi Mohiuddin, Dr Wais Kabir, Dr Asaduzzaman, Dr Mafizur Rahman, Dr Fazlul Bari, Prof Ziauddin, Prof Sazzad Hossain, Dr Kamrul Hasan and Prof Shahidullah Talukder.