Eye-catching and lucrative various colours of national flower lilies have been disappearing faster from 7,500 hectares of water bodies of Jhenidah.
Lack of patronization, commercial farming fish in water bodies, haphazard use of chemical fertilizer and pesticides and reducing of water from the water bodies were blamed for declining of the useful and charming species of the flower. The same has been satisfying the people on the colourful calendars of various offices and establishments.
During a visit to bordering Moheshpur upazila, this correspondent talked to a number of people at Jagusa, Jadabpur and some other villages. The villagers said the lily flower, locally known as Shapla is produced on different water bodies, especially on beel, baor, river and abandoned ponds during the monsoon. The colourful lily also attracts the people during the autumn.
But the same has been declining faster when the area of the water bodies is decreasing due to construction of houses and establishments. The people have been cultivating fish and fish species, especially, carp variety of fish on ponds and other water bodies commercially. The demon varieties have been eating up the lily plants as fodder which helps declining the species at the initial stage of growth.
An elderly man engaged in ayurvedic treatment is known as a Kabiraj, said he had been using the red and white colour Shapla to cure dysentery, colic pain, lever, urine and some other diseases. Further, the red Shapla helps cure some female diseases. His professional activities are hampered for want of the flower round the year, he said. Huge quantities of Shapla were produced in Jagusha, Jaluli, Jadabpur and other beel areas which attracted people to visit the water bodies, he informed.
Abdus Satter of Jadabpur area said the poverty-stricken poor people of the bordering area had been consuming the Shapla as vegetables during the season. It had a great demand even in the urban areas. But the same has been abolishing from the area day by day.
According to the office of the department of fisheries in Jhenidah, there is 7,500 hectares of water bodies in the district. Of them 12 rivers in the district own 1641.75 hectares, 104 beels own 1,535 hectares, 35 baors own 1,889 hectares, 43 canals own 350 hectares and 27,649 ponds own 3,473 hectares of water bodies. The presence of the lily was almost unseen there.
Deputy Director of the department of agriculture extension (DAE) in Jhenidah Kripangshu Sekhar Biswas when contacted, admitted the declining lily from the water bodies. He said the farming of lily might help boost production as it has a potential for its charming shape and beauty, tasty vegetables and medicinal use. The entrepreneurs should come forward to take initiatives where the DA could provide support for technical and extension services.
