Sirajganj farmers in fear of crops damage as water rises

Published : Friday, 18 September, 2020 at 5:37 PM Count : 373

Sirajganj farmers in fear of crops damage as water rises

Farmers in Sirajganj fear a fresh flood and loss of their cultivated lands as the water level of the Jamuna River has risen again.

According to Water Development Board the water level of the river was increased 39cm at Sirajgnaj point while 35 cm at Kazipur point in the last 24 hour on Friday.

The rise of water likely to continue in next 24 hour, said Sirajganj WDB deputy assistant engineer Rafiqul Islam.

Crops including Aman paddy, vegetables, urad bean in char lands and low lying areas under five upazilas inundated due to the rise of the fresh water in the Jamuna, Karatoa, Boral, Hursagar, Phuljur, Gumati and Isamoti rivers. Framers in the areas fear damages of crops after faces three phases of floods from June to September which causes Tk 200cr losses in the agriculture sector.

Though the government has provided the flood-hit farmers various facilities including agriculture incentive but the rise of the water level bring another frustration among them.

According to Department of Agriculture Extension the government distributed paddy saplings among 1,285 farmers, seeds of urad bean for 5,000 farmers and free fertilizer.

The government has targeted the cultivation of Aman paddy on 69,250 hectares of lands in this season.

Farmer Abu Sheikh of Sadar upazila said he sow urad bean seeds on one bigha of land but now in fear of damage.

Shahinur Alam, farmer of Maijbari Char under Kazipur upazila, said his Aman paddy plants were damaged two times before sewing fresh saplings on four bighas of lands. The new sapling is alson inundated under fresh water, he added.

Department of Agriculture Extension Deputy Director Abu Hanif said rising of water is certainly a threat. Government provided incentive for farmers during the last flood and the assistance will be on, he added.

AB/GY