Severe heatwave and drought gripped the Barind region of Rajshahi. Farmers are eagerly waiting for rainfall to save their crops from drying up. The deep tube wells installed by the Barind Multipurpose Development Authorities (BMDA) and private landowners were being operated round the clock to irrigate the Aush paddy fields. However, the cost of irrigation has been doubled as the water in the field is drying up soon after the irrigation due to the continuous heatwave in the region for last one week.
Rafik Mia, farmer of Dibysthal village under Kalma Union of Tanore thana, said that he cultivated Aush paddy on one and a half Bighas of land. He was using water in the field from the BMDA deep tube well.
He also said the water in the field is being dried up in soon and the soil is getting cracked. Due to the absence of rainfall for a long time and the use of excessive underground water, the underground water level of the Barind region has been depleted.
As a result, paddy farmers in the region are facing several problems.
The farmer also said that he spent a good amount of money to cultivate Aush paddy. He expected rainfall soon to save his crops.
Another Barind farmer Sujon Ali said farmers cannot work at the paddy fields for a long time. Moreover, they were not getting enough water from the tube wells as the underground water level went further down.
An acute shortage of water is being experienced in Rajshahi and the surrounding districts.
According to the Department of Meteorology in Rajshahi, the temperature was 41.5 degrees Celsius on Saturday. A heat alert has been declared throughout the districts. The water in the ponds and ditches of the district has also been dried up due to a long absence of rainfall.
Awal Hossain of Kalartikor village under Paba Upazila said that usually no scarcity of water is noticed in the Paba upazila.
The water level of the Upazila is depleting fast and the water of the canals and beels is drying up. Only a half of the water is being now fetched by the deep tube wells of the areas against their full capacities. If such a situation continues further, the farmers of the region will face many problems. Mohammad Ali of Pillapara village under Paba upazila said no water is being fetched through the tube wells.
Engineer Shahinul Haque of the Department of Public Health Engineering of Paba Upazila said every year water scarcity is created in various areas of the upazila due to the drought. He hoped the rainfall would remove their problems and there would be no scarcity of water.
Jahangir Alam, Additional Chief Engineer of BMDA said that the drought and long absence of rainfall are the main causes of water scarcity in the Northern region.
The water shortage is being prolonged due to the drying up of the rivers, canals and beels of the region.
