An 18-kilometre long canal re-excavated by Barind Multipurpose Development Authorities (BMDA) in Naogaon is contributing hundreds of farmers of the region by supplying them with irrigation water as well as fishes. The canal is also playing a vital role in the water thirsty ‘Tha Tha (bone-dry) Barind Region’ to retain environmental balance.
The canal better known as Belhatry-Chhatra canal starts from Kamarda village of Porsha Upazila runs through Hasura, Belhatty, Satrapoti, Kuntoil, Kushmoil, Katna, Banipur and ends in Benipur Chhatra village under Niamatpur upazila.
Once the canal was connected to various tributaries of the region but due to dried up of those tributaries and canals, dumping of canal banks and non-excavation of those years after year had turned it derelict and stagnant. There was no drainage system connecting the canal to harvest rain water or to save the fields around from the grip of flood.
In 2006-07 fiscal years, Barind Multipurpose Development Authority dredged the cannel under its rain water harvesting and preservation project. BMDA also constructed nine cross dams at various places of the canal. As a result, this canal has regained its youth once again.
Now, farmers are using the canal water for irrigating their lands and the fishermen are breeding and catching fishes. The surrounding areas, which had once become harsh and barren, have now turned green and the wildlife, specially birds and reptiles have found their ways to survive with.
According to sources, last year canal water was used to cultivate Aman on 5,720 bighas of land, T-Aush on 150 bighas of land and Mustard, wheat, potato and vegetables on 1,080 bighas of land during the current season.
Saber Ali, a farmer from Katna village said paddy, wheat, mustard and potato were very hard to cultivate in past but now the water being available throughout the year, he has cultivated Aman Paddy on six bighas and wheat and mustard on eight Bighas of land using the canal water.
Fazlur Rahman, another farmer from Kushmoil village under Niamatpur thana informed, he has cultivated Aman on eight bighas of land last season and this year he has planted potato and wheat on six bighas of land using the canal water.
Maniruzzaman Manir, BMDA Assistant Engineer in Niamatpur zone informed, the dredging of the canal under the rainwater collection project has changed the lives of many in the area. He said, the harsh, arid region of the Barind is turning to a lush green landscape with the re-excavation of canal and harvesting of rain water into it. Farmers and fishermen alike are being benefitted by the canal water. 185 kilometre has been dredged so far among the 250 kilometres of the entire canal and rests of it also be dredged in phases, he said.
Rezaul Islam Salim, a local journalist of Niamatpur lauded the role of BMDA for taking steps to re-excavate canals and ponds of the region and its effort to resume environmental balance. He mentioned, BMDA should stop immediately the fetching of millions of gallons of water every day from underground sources for the purpose of irrigation, rather it should rely on such laudable projects like excavation and re-excavation of ponds and canals and to preserve and harvest rain
water there for future use.
