Water shortage in Teesta

Irrigation cost rises

Farmers in the Teesta Irrigation Project area have to pay an additional amount of more than Tk. 100 crore as Boro paddy irrigation costs for lack of required water in the Teesta river in Nilfamari district. The first phase of the project was completed in 1995. Md Mahbubar Rahman, executive engineer (Ex-n) Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) in Rangpur, said  the project was completed at a cost of around Tk. 1,000 crore. Its aim was to ensure irrigation in more than one lakh 11 thousand hectares in the northern districts of Dinajpur, Nilfamari, Rangpur, Bogra and Joypurhat. To ensure sufficient irrigation for cultivable land, the BWDB revised the command area from one lakh 11 thousand to 79 thousand hectares a few years ago. “At present, 9,000 hectares can be irrigated with the existing water,” he added. The country's largest irrigation project has failed ensure the minimum irrigation in 79 thousand hectares in the project area since 2013 for the Teesta water crisis.  
“We need at least 5,000 cusecs of water in the river to ensure irrigation in 79 thousand hectares in the Teesta Irrigation Project area,” said Mahbubar Rahman. The BWDB fixed Tk. 1,200 as irrigation charges per hectare for a year, he said. Whereas farmers of the project area have to pay on an average Tk. 8,000 as irrigation costs per hectare only for Boro paddy. Moniruzzman Monir of Dalia Moddhapara village in Nilfamari district said that usually he pays Tk. 2,250 to the Teesta project authorities as irrigation charges per hectare a year. Nuruzzman of Uttor Kholaya village in Rangpur Sadar Upazila said he has cultivated 66 decimal of land using project water spending Tk. 600. He also spent Tk. 1,200 for another 33 decimal in the same area.

 

Water shortage in Teesta

Irrigation cost rises

Farmers in the Teesta Irrigation Project area have to pay an additional amount of more than Tk. 100 crore as Boro paddy irrigation costs for lack of required water in the Teesta river in Nilfamari district. The first phase of the project was completed in 1995. Md Mahbubar Rahman, executive engineer (Ex-n) Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) in Rangpur, said the project was completed at a cost of around Tk. 1,000 crore. Its aim was to ensure irrigation in more than one lakh 11 thousand hectares in the northern districts of Dinajpur, Nilfamari, Rangpur, Bogra and Joypurhat. To ensure sufficient irrigation for cultivable land, the BWDB revised the command area from one lakh 11 thousand to 79 thousand hectares a few years ago. At present, 9,000 hectares can be irrigated with the existing water, he added. The countrys largest irrigation project has failed ensure the minimum irrigation in 79 thousand hectares in the project area since 2013 for the Teesta water crisis. We need at least 5,000 cusecs of water in the river to ensure irrigation in 79 thousand hectares in the Teesta Irrigation Project area, said Mahbubar Rahman. The BWDB fixed Tk. 1,200 as irrigation charges per hectare for a year, he said. Whereas farmers of the project area have to pay on an average Tk. 8,000 as irrigation costs per hectare only for Boro paddy. Moniruzzman Monir of Dalia Moddhapara village in Nilfamari district said that usually he pays Tk. 2,250 to the Teesta project authorities as irrigation charges per hectare a year. Nuruzzman of Uttor Kholaya village in Rangpur Sadar Upazila said he has cultivated 66 decimal of land using project water spending Tk. 600. He also spent Tk. 1,200 for another 33 decimal in the same area.