A few thousand farmers of 30 villages in Jhenaidiah Sadar are deprived of crops for years as their 10,000 hectares of lands are inundated by water during the monsoon.
The authorities of Bangladesh Agriculture Development Corporation (BADC) virtually did not re-excavate the irrigation canal in past years for an unknown reason.
A number of farmers of Sadhuhati and Madhuhati unions under Jhenaidah Sadar said they had dug irrigation canals through the villages Bankira, Nathkundu, Daharpukur, Bejimara, Dashmail, Jibney, Waria Shyamanagar, Chhaibhanga, Porahati, Matikumra, Nabinager, Gobindpaur Saratganj, Asannagar, Bhultia, Chhoygharia, Mamunshia, Chorkole, Sripur, Payadpur, Rangiarpota, Dakbangla, Berashola, Badpukur, Jadabpur, Goplapur, Dobila etc. But the canals once dug, was not re-excavated till today. As a result the canal areas go under rain water even after a slight rainfall during the monsoon.
They said the situation is so graved when they cannot harvest crops for the area in last five years. Not only that the excessive water from the canals now marching towards the neighboring villages. They said the BADC authorities in Jhenaidah after information from the locals had paid visit and assured the farmers to take necessary steps to re-excavate the canals at an early time. But no effective measures were taken so far.
Rangiarpota village people said the water from about 10 villages flow through the canal Kazalkhal. Later it goes to river Chitra. But the starting point of the canal was stopped by dense water hyacinth long ago. It had created water logging at villages Bankira, Gobindapur, Mohammadpur, Asannagar, Mamunshia and Chuadanga.
Local union parishad member Shahidul Islam said they had informed the matter to the chief engineer of the small water irrigation project of the BADC in Dhaka in written.
But they could not see visible improvement yet. They had urged upon the BADC authorities to remove e their sufferings and save the farmers from certain damage of crops for years together.
Assistant Engineer (AE) of the BADC (irrigation) in Jhenaidah Saurav Kumar Biswas when contacted said he had visited the spot and submitted report to the executive engineer in time.
He was hopping for faster solution to the matter, BADC Assistant Engineer said.
