Tarash Correspondent
Aman paddy in eight upazilas surrounding Chalanbeel has been submerged due to sudden increase in water level in the rivers flowing through the upstream and Chalanbeel due to untimely heavy rains during the Aman cultivation season.
It is learned that Aman paddy has been planted in about 60,000 hectares of land in Tarash, Raiganj and Ullapara of Sirajganj, Chatmohar of Pabna, Bhangura, Gurudaspur of Natore, Singra and Atrai upazila of Naogaon district. But according to sources in the agriculture department of different upazilas of Chalanbeel, about 6,000 hectares of planted Aman paddy in Chalanbeel have already been submerged due to untimely floods.
According to the Tarash Upazila Agriculture Department, the newly planted Ropa Aman paddy in 500 hectares of land in Tarash Upazila alone has been submerged due to the increase in rains and flood waters in the last few days.
Anwar Hossain, 65, a farmer from Malshin village in the upazila, said Aman paddy was planted on about 12-14,000 hectares of land in Tarash at the beginning of August. But due to the recent increase in flood waters, heavy rains and waterlogging of crop fields in different villages, the dream of the farmers, green paddy has been submerged and the amount of submerged land is increasing day by day as the water level continues to rise. Especially in the last few days, about 6,000 hectares of newly planted Ropa Aman paddy has been submerged due to rising water levels in the rivers flowing through Chalanbeel and local waterlogging.
On the other hand, several farmers including Tajir Hossain, Monowar Hossain and Dudu Mandal of Chalanbeel said that most of the seedbeds of farmers in Chalanbeel were damaged due to the increase in water level.
In this regard, Tarash Upazila Agriculture Officer Lutfunnahar Luna said, Chalanbeel is a large area. Much of the cropland here is low. Crops are submerged in water. No one has a hand in natural disasters. However, if the flood waters recede rapidly, the submerged Aman paddy will be protected from damage.
