March 28, 2024, 2:23 pm


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Published:
2019-08-18 23:00:50 BdST

1,080-km irrigation pipelines constructed in Barind area


Around 1,080 kilometres underground irrigation pipelines were constructed aims at reducing the loss of irrigation water by around 40 percent in Barind area.

Barind Multipurpose Development Authority (BMDA) under its ‘Enhancement of
Irrigation Efficiency through Construction of Sub-surface Irrigation Channel’
project constructed the pipelines.

The Taka 136.16-crore project was implemented in 25 upazilas of Rajshahi,
Naogaon and Chapainawabganj districts till June last.

“We have installed 1,080 kilometres upvc pipelines and 216 kilometres
flexible pipes through saving agricultural lands under the four-year
project,” said Engineer Shahidur Rahman, Director of the project, while
talking to BSS here today.

More than 3,000 farmers were imparted training on proper handling and
maintenance of the constructed infrastructures so that they can derive total
benefits of the project.

Engineer Rahman said the installed pipelines have expanded irrigation area
to around 32,400 hectares of land contributing a lot towards cropping yield
around 1.62 lakh tonnes on an average per year. The system has also
contribution of diversification process in the project covering areas.

Highlighting the salient feature of the project BMDA Chairman Dr Akram
Hossain Chowdhury said efficiency in irrigation has become a necessity for
reducing the misuse of water alongside decreasing agriculture production
cost.

He opined that the conventional irrigation method has the problem of
misusing water triggering pressure on both ground and surface water posing a
threat to ecology.

So, some major parameters like water distribution system, irrigation scheme
management system, water marketing system, sources of water,
source of energy, Alternate Wetting Drying (AWD) and types of pumps should be
brought under consideration.

Akram Chowdhury mentioned that the agriculture sector has started facing
the problem of irrigation water scarcity which is being adjudged as an
obstacle to crop production.

The sector has also to face huge production cost due to various reasons
pushing farmers into a difficult situation. So, time has come to more
promotion of underground canal for improving irrigation efficiency, he added.

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