Irrigation of 12,000 acres uncertain in Moulvibazar
WDB fails to renovate Monu river canals
Siltation and other obstructions in the irrigation canals are hampering normal irrigation to 12,000 acres of Boro lands under Monu River Irrigation Project (MRIP) in Moulvibazar district while Water Development Board (WDB) is failing to re-excavate the canals.
In absence of re-excavation, the canal beds are being silted up and aquatic plants including water hyacinths are growing, eventually obstructing the normal flow of water for the croplands, farmers said.
The MRIP was implemented in and around the 'Kawadighi Haor' areas under Rajnagar and Moulvibazar Sadar upazila in 1983 to provide irrigation facility for 12 thousand acres of land in dry season, sources in Moulvibazar WDB said.
The project aimed at increasing production through cultivation of three yearly crops on a land.
A barrage was constructed over the Monu river at Matarkapon village, facilitating diversion of water from the river to the irrigation areas of the project through 80 kilometre-long canals. In December every year, the WDB closes the gates of the barrage and open sluice gates to divert water from the river to irrigation canals.
However the beneficiary farmers of the MRIP said, banks of the irrigation canals have been damaged at many points, different species of weeds like aquatic plants and water hyacinths have grown in the canal bed which created obstructions to normal flow of water. Besides, canal beds in most places have been silted up and poor people constructed huts on the canal banks. Local people said the WDB have not taken any steps to re-excavate these canals for long.
During a recent visit to Monu Project areas at Ekatuna, Rajnagar and Panchgaon, this correspondent saw dying irrigation canals at many points. At places, local people created ridge of earth on the canal beds for fishing. Growth of aquatic plants and water hyacinths in the canals obstructs normal flow of water.
Moulvibazar WDB Sub-divisional Engineer Abul Hussain said canals under Monu Project could not be renovated due to fund constraints. He, however, claimed that they have worked in some areas to clear the obstructions from the canals and a project for excavation of irrigation canals, repair of canal banks and expansion of irrigation area has been taken.
He said, now about eight thousand acres of land are getting the irrigation facility from Monu project, and the area of land is increasing.
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