Water resources
Bangladesh is a plain land of alluvial soil. We have canals and water reservoirs ( on the sides of roads and railway) owned by the govt. These water bodies/reservoirs can be developed to a high potential water resource for agricultural irrigation in dry season, fisheries etc. It will also contribute to environmental development to a great extent.
The existing canals and water reservoirs are mostly not under any commercial use and are encroached by unauthorized persons of the area and, as such, the govt. is losing substantial amount of revenue. These canals and water reservoirs sometimes have linkage with perennial water sources or rivers. These generally go under water during the monsoon and come up in dry season.
The developed canals and water reservoirs can be the sources of water round the year. In the dry season, if dried these can be re-filled by pumping water from the connecting rivers or from other perennial sources or from deep tube wells to be installed in suitable places under a project.
To implement such a project, a detailed feasibility study has to be carried out with professional consultants consisting of civil engineers, irrigation engineers, social scientists, economists, agriculturists, fisheries and livestock experts. It will be a coordinated project of Roads & Highways, Railway and its development will need the support of the local administration. The developed water reservoirs can be leased out in sections to local educated unemployed youths individually or to the registered youth cooperatives for a minimum period of five years, renewable by a committee consisting of the members representing Roads & Highways, Railways, Fisheries and Livestock departments, headed by the local administration.
Such a project will create job opportunities in rural areas, develop socio-economic conditions, help environmental development and contribute greatly to the rural and national economy.
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