The news of failure of all the pumps in the main pumphouse of Ganga-Kopotakho (GK) Irrigation Project at Bheramara in Kushtia is bad news not only for the farmers but also for the agriculture sector. Along with this, farmers of 16 districts of Rajshahi and Rangpur under Barind Multipurpose Development Authority (BMDA) are not able to do farming due to water crisis.
According to Prothom Alo investigation, water was supplied by three pumps under the GK Irrigation Project. Two pumps were closed for many years. Now the only pump which was operational has been closed on 19 February. As a result, farmers are facing crisis in Kushtia Sadar, Mirpur, Chuadanga Sadar and Alamdanga. Due to water crisis, many farmers are not able to cultivate paddy. Due to drought, cracks have formed in the land of many farmers. Some have made arrangements for alternative irrigation with shallow machines. Due to this, the production cost of paddy has increased by 12 to 15 times.
The concerned officials of the Water Development Board cannot tell when the water supply will be normal. As the water level in Padma receded, water supply to Kushtia and Chuadanga has been kept normal during the Boro season for the last three to four years. Sluice gates of canals in Magura and Jhenaidah were also kept closed. Agriculture extension department sources said 106,000 farmers in four upazilas under Kushtia and Chuadanga will cultivate boro under the GK Irrigation Project.