Small farmers upset by Nilphamari REB decision
Pumps with less than 3 HP motors won't get power
Hundreds of small farmers in the district are upset as Nilphamari Polli Bidyut Samity under Rural Electrification Board (REB) has made it mandatory to install at least 3 horsepower (HP) power pumps for irrigation during the current Irri-Boro season.
Usually, small farmers prefer 1 to 1.5 horsepower pumps for their small holdings. Such pumps consume less electricity and hence are less costly for them, some farmers told this correspondent.
Sources in the district Agriculture Extension Department (AED) said farmers, after the setback in Amon production due to flooding twice this year, now pin hopes on Irri-Boro to recover the losses. So the AED has targeted to bring 75,663 hectares under Irri-Boro in the current season, which is 3,000 hectares more than last year's area.
A major portion of lands are irrigated with small pumps using electricity from REB. A total of 5,016 power pumps and 82 deep tubewells are operated in the district during the dry season, AED sources said.
This year, farmers have applied for power connection to more 1,600 pumps, the sources said.
REB inspectors inspected most of the sights and recommended power connection. Farmers also deposited Tk 3000 as security many and Tk 2000 as wiring fee for each small irrigation pump.
But after visit by officials of the REB engineering department, farmers were told that power connection would not be given to pumps using motors less 3 HP. Pumps having 1 or 2 horsepower will not get power connection, they were told.
Ali Ahmed, a small farmer at Titpara village in Dinda upazila, said he uses a pump with 1.5 HP motor. “I do not need a bigger pump for my lands”, he said.
Some farmers said they did not face such a situation in getting power for irrigation earlier.
The price of a 1-1.5 HP pump is Tk 6,500 to Tk 7,500 and that of 3 HP motor is Tk 13,000 to Tk 14,000, farmers said.
The farmer said the REB created the problem at a time when they were preparing to go for winter cropping.
When contacted, assistant general manage of the Polli Bidyut Samity Md. Moinuddin said it is mandatory to use at least 3 HP motors in power pumps as per REB irrigation policy.
"We are following REB instructions," he added.
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