Three deep tubewells in Rukindipur union of Akkelpur upazila, Joypurhat, have stood idle for nearly five months since a fire on an electricity pole cut their connection. About 500 bighas of aman rice served by the three schemes on the Awalgari-Ulipur field are suffering for lack of irrigation. On Wednesday much of the soil was dry and cracked, and in places the rice plants were turning pale.
Farmers said aman depends largely on rain, but this year there has not been enough, so the crop needs irrigation, and the three tubewells are the field's main source. Abu Bakkar Siddique, who grew aman on four bighas, said the soil has cracked open and the rice is drying; without water at this late stage he will lose his whole investment. Sekendar Ali fears yields will fall badly if it goes on a few more days.
Tubewell owner Anwar Hossain said a short circuit set a pole on fire about five months ago, near the end of the boro season. The line fed two of his tubewells and one in a neighbouring scheme. A written complaint to the Akkelpur zonal office of the Palli Bidyut Samity (rural electricity cooperative) in June brought no remedy; the power office sent them to the Barind office, and the Barind office sent them back, and five months passed that way.
Monsur Ali Sardar, assistant engineer at the Akkelpur office of the Barind Multipurpose Development Authority (BMDA), said he learned of it two days ago, asked the power office to restore the supply, and that steps have been taken. Md Abdur Rahman Sarkar, DGM of the Palli Bidyut Samity's Akkelpur zonal office, claimed the farmers lodged a half-hearted complaint at the end of the boro season and never followed up, so it was not resolved.
Upazila agriculture officer Sumon Kumar Saha said he had learned of it that day, had asked the offices concerned to act quickly and would visit the field, and hoped it would be solved soon. The report is by Samakal's Akkelpur (Joypurhat) correspondent.
Source: samakal
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