Water seeping through an unguarded sluice gate on a Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) irrigation canal in Santhia, Pabna, has damaged onion, okra, maize and wheat on more than a hundred bighas of land. More than a hundred further bighas are under threat, and farmers fear yields on the damaged land will fall below half.

Farmers from Khetupara, Gadhuli and Baliakandi villages in Khetupara union said the T-7 canal branches off the BWDB's S-19 irrigation canal at Gadhuli and runs to their Khetupara fields. The T-7 had lain abandoned for many years and carried no water. Some time ago the BWDB had it repaired, carelessly, through a contractor, but the broken upper shutter of the regulator at the canal's head was not fixed. For the past 8–10 days water has been flowing down the T-7 into fields in the three villages. The tail end of the canal was not repaired either, so water overflows into the surrounding standing crops.

The farmers said the canal through their fields needs no water at this time, and they have suffered because of the BWDB officials' lack of oversight and indifference.

They said the regulator was installed precisely to let water into or shut it out of their canal from the main canal. The BWDB repaired the canal but not the regulator shutter; had one shutter been fixed, they would not have suffered this loss.

On a visit on Thursday, 22 February, water was seen entering through the unguarded sluice gate, wasting water and ruining crops. Farmers were dumping soil and sandbags as best they could to stop it.

Abdul Malek grew onions on leased land with a loan of Tk 1 lakh. With a normal yield he expected at least 120 maunds, but in the field's present state he will not get even half, and has lost at least Tk 2 lakh.

"Water came in through the canal and destroyed two bighas of onions before my eyes. The soil has turned to mud from the excess water," he said.

Fazar Ali of the same area said he had grown onions on two and a half bighas, hoping for at least 150 maunds. With the field waterlogged, he doubts he will get even half.

Farmer Mahalam grew okra on about one bigha, but seepage has soaked the soil and the plants are dying.

Farmer Shahjahan Ali said he had grown onions on two and a half bighas, buying seed at Tk 12,000 a kg, but water is ruining the field.

Saiful Islam, training officer of the DAE in Pabna, said that if the soil becomes soaked and compacted it could harm rabi crops.

Noufel Uddin Ahmed, executive engineer (mechanical) of the BWDB in Pabna, said they had learned of the problem. Water was entering because an upper part of the regulator was missing. Had anyone told them earlier, it could have been fixed under the same tender as the canal repair. Steps are now being taken to repair the regulator very soon, he said.

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.