The sluice gates of Terokhada in Khulna have become ineffective for lack of maintenance and repair, and the canals are almost dead. With water no longer flowing and waterlogging in various places, farmers are worried about growing rice and other crops.

Terokhada upazila covers 18,769 hectares, and about 1.5 lakh people live in its six unions. About 80 percent of the people farm. The area, with a monsoon climate, is made up of the Ganges floodplain, the Ganges tidal floodplain and the Gopalganj-Khulna peat basin. Farming depends mainly on rain, but farmers now grow modern Boro rice varieties with irrigation.

The upazila's main water sources are rivers and canals, whose water is saline for three to four months a year. During that time the sluice gates play the key role in holding back saline water. The canals are linked to the rivers through sluice gates, but because neither has been repaired, farming in the area is under threat.

According to the agriculture office, Boro is the main crop in Terokhada. Last year paddy production was 8,465 hectares, and this year's target is 8,949 hectares. The upazila has 37 canals and 21 sluice gates on which farmers depend. Of these, 14 canals are almost dead and nine sluice gates are out of order for lack of repair, so farmers are not getting water properly.

Local farmers said water is supplied to fields through the canals and sluice gates, which are used during high and low tide and when water is saline. But most have been out of order for a long time, which could hamper farming in future.

Farmer Hemanta Das said river water reaches Terokhada through many canals. "When saline water flows, we close the sluice gates and farm with rainwater. But because the gates are in poor condition, we are facing many difficulties."

Farmer Dipjoy Mondal said farming needs canal water, and in the saline season they hold back the canal water and use stored rainwater. "Many of the sluice gates are broken and many canals are dying. If these canals dry up, river water will not reach the area, and there will be serious hardship."

Farmer Soleman Howlader said the Golargati and Mirer Kodla sluice gates on the Ichhamati, Chhagladah and Terokhada canals no longer exist. "The flow of water has gradually stopped, causing many problems for farming now."

Terokhada Upazila Agriculture Officer Shiuli Majumder said canals and sluice gates play an important role in farming in the area. A list of canals and sluice gates needing repair has been prepared and sent to higher authorities, and repair work will start soon, she said.

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