Uninterrupted Power Supply
Nilphamari farmers optimistic of good IRRI-Boro yield
Farmers have expressed their optimism of a good yield of paddy in the ongoing peak season of IRRI-Boro cultivation due to uninterrupted power supply across the district.
This is because of irrigation facilities being provided to farmers by the Rural Electrification Board (REB) due to smooth power supply in this season.
Because of the phenomenon, the farmers are now able to irrigate their lands easily.
Sources in Polli Biddut Samity (PBS) informed that restoration of power generation in the first week of January by two units of Baropukuria Thermo Electric Plants each having capacity to produce 120 megawatt (MW) of electricity daily has removed a major obstacle of farmers in irrigating their lands.
The secretary of the Ministry of Power, Farizul Kabir Khan, in an emergency meeting at Dinajpur PBS office on January 19 directed the Samity personnel to ensure uninterrupted power supply in greater Rangpur and Dinajpur districts. He asked them to meet up the need of the two greater districts at first. Then he asked them to supply power elsewhere, PBS sources said.
They said this year irrigational facilities were provided to 87 deep tube-wells and 6,371 shallow power pumps. Last year, it was 80 deep tube-wells and 5,578 shallow pumps only.
With these deep tube-wells and shallow power pumps, about 53,077 hectares of land were brought under irrigational facilities this year. This figure is 65.48 per cent of the total land area brought under IRRI-Boro cultivation in the district this year.
Sources in the District Agriculture Department claimed that IRRI-Boro paddy are being cultivated on 81,063 hectares of land in the district this year.
The assistant general manager (AGM) of Rural Electrification Board (REB) here M Mainuddin told this correspondent the daily total demand of power for irrigation is 12.5 MW. Farmers are getting their total requirement without any disruption. 'Last year we got between 1 MW-1.5 MW against our 12 MW demand for electricity. That is why we supplied electricity in rationing . Now, farmers can irrigate their lands at any time, he said.
However, some small farmers are facing difficulties in getting power connection to their motors having capacity of 1 MW, 1.5 MW and 2.5 MW. As per rule, 3 MW motors would only get power connection.
Farmers are also facing complexities in getting replacement of stolen transformers. Till end of last year, 177 transformers were stolen. In the market, prices of transformers having 6 MW, 10 MW, 13 MW 25 MW capacities or more vary from Tk 30,000 to 60,000. REB supplies transformers to the farmers at a slightly lower rate.
President of PBS here, Luthfar Rahman said to this correspondent that despite some drawbacks the farmers under his samity are happy as thy are getting power to irrigate lands for at least 18 to 19 hours in a day. It is beyond their expectation, he added.
The general manager of REB here Sankar Kamakar said they are giving top priority for steady supply of electricity. Army is monitoring the situation for 24 hours, he said. If the present power supply can be continued, we can expect bumper crops this year, he said.
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