BMDA irrigates 1.07 lakh hectares croplands in Rajshahi

Barind Multipurpose Development Authority (BMDA) has provided irrigation to over 1.07 lakh hectares of croplands in the country's northwest region during the last nine months of the current 2021-22 fiscal contributing a lot to boosting production. The huge croplands were brought under irrigation facilities through 13,203 power-driven deep tube wells (DTWs) and 337 low lift pumps in almost round the year.

The BMDA, the largest irrigation-providing state organization in the region, has earned around Taka 29.26 crore as irrigation charge during the same period. BMDA officials revealed this in the monthly coordination meeting held at the head office conference hall of the statutory body with Chairman Begum Akhter Jahan in the chair in Rajshahi on Thursday.

Executive Director Engineer Abdur Rashid, Additional Chief Engineers Shamsul Huda and Dr Abul Kashem, Superintending Engineers Iqbal Hossain, Nazirul Islam, Abdul Latif and Mahfuzur Rahman and Executive Engineers Shariful Haque and Zinnurain Khan addressed the meeting. Engineer Rashid told the meeting that the irrigated lands have yielded more than 34.32 lakh tonnes including 26.76 lakh tonnes of additional crops of around Taka 4,348.5 crore in the region especially in the vast Barind tract yearly.

Till March last, the BMDA activated 4,332 inoperative deep tube-wells, installed 11,474 deep tube-wells and 601 low lift pumps, re-excavated 2093.32-kilometer canals and 3451 derelict ponds. It has also constructed and expanded 12413.56-kilometer water distribution infrastructures alongside setting up 1579 drinking water supply installations, 578 dug wells and 749 cross-dams, which ensured a sound irrigation system. In addition to imparting training to 1,51,992 farmers, around 2.6 crore saplings of various fruit, timber and herbal trees were planted in the command area to protect the environment and meet the growing demands for fruits and timber in the region.

BMDA has been implementing various need-oriented uplift programs aimed at improving the socioeconomic conditions by increasing crop production side by side protecting the region from adverse impact of climate change. Simultaneously, the implemented projects have yielded significant success in crop production and make an ecological balance.

Those are also creating jobs for the unemployed people and also ensuring various facilities along with an environment- friendly weather in the region. The region saw significant progress in the crop production sector following the expansion of irrigation facilities along with supplying water from the re-excavated canals and ponds.  During the past couple of years, the BMDA has been promoting surface water irrigation in many of the water-stressed areas in order to lessen the gradually mounting pressure on underground water.

In her remarks, Begum Akhter Jahan said more emphasis should be given on adopting time-fitting projects to protect environment and biodiversity from the adverse impact of climate change in the region, the vast Barind tract in particular. Adequate measures should be taken to lessen the gradually mounting pressure on the groundwater table. So, time has come to undertake projects of enriching the surface water resources to meet up the present demand. More efficiency in irrigation has become a necessity for reducing the misuse of water alongside decreasing agriculture production cost.