Teesta project farmers' woe

IRRI-Boro crops on vast areas are damaged almost every year.

This has raised a concern among farmers, and many of them are now questioning the project's viability.

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At least 15 major breaches took place in embankments on different canals since the project was commissioned on June 30, 1998.

Each breach either floods fields or keeps irrigation suspended for days, which affect IRRI-Boro crops, they said.

The embankments give in due to faulty repair and use of sand instead of soil in the work, many of the farmers alleged while talking to this correspondent during a recent visit.

But project officials allege sabotage. They also filed cases.

The latest breach took place on Saturday in the Dinajpur Irrigation Canal embankment. Waters gushing through the 100 feet breach inundated 15000 hectors of IRRI-Boro lands in Dakhkin Desibai village in Jaldhaka upazila in Nilphamari. The canal also breached at Deviganj village in Chichirbandar upazila in Dinajpur on the same day.

The same canal breached at Champatoli village in Dinajpur on February 1, inundating 1000 hectares of Irri-Boro lands.

Local people in both the areas alleged that the embankments gave in due to faulty construction.

But the Water Development Board (WDB) authorities blamed local people, saying stealing of canal water through underground pipe was the cause.

The Teesta Irrigation Project has 3,81,000 acres of land under its command area in 12 upazilas in Nilphamari, Rangpur and Dinagpur districts.

The project aimed at producing 4,87,000 tonnes of paddy and 82,000 tonnes of wheat worth about Tk 452 crore.

But the target is still far away. It was gathered that breach in canals started after commissioning of the project in 1998.

On September 1, 1998, embankment of the main irrigation canal breached at Dundibari village in Jaldhaka upazila in Nilphamari district.

In February 1999, the Rangpur Irrigation Canal embankment breached at six points at Magura, Balagram, Nautara and Khalishe Chapani villages in Nilphamari.

In 2000, the Dinajpur Irrigation Canal embankment was damaged at Kalitala village near Nilphamari town.

Next year, on February 21, the same thing happened to Rangpur Irrigation Canal at Dumuria village in Kishoreganj upazila in Nilphamari.

The same canal breached at Arasi Kathali village in Jaldhaka upazila in August 2003 and at Dolapara Magura village in Kishoreganj in March 2004.

This correspondent while visiting embankments of the main irrigation canal, Dinajpur Canal and the Rangpur Canal found those vulnerable at different points.

Local farmers alleged that the embankments breached as those were not repaired properly.

WDB men responsible for their alleged negligence are not punished but farmers have to flee homes as they file cases after damage, they alleged.

They demanded a probe to ascertain why breaches take place often.