Kushtia Correspondent: Ganga-Kapotaksha Irrigation Scheme (GK) pumps are stopped at Bheramara in Kushtia. Water supply stopped on Saturday (September 17) due to the breakdown of the electrical circuit of the pump in the GK irrigation project. Farmers are desperate for irrigation water. It is reported that the water supply of the GK Irrigation Project pump has been stopped due to damage to the electrical circuit.
The country’s largest irrigation scheme, the Ganga-Kapotaksha (GK) Irrigation Scheme, covers a total of 4 lakh 88 thousand acres of land in 13 upazilas in Kushtia, Jhenaidah, Chuadanga, and Magura. Cultivation of other crops, including Aman, is going on. Due to a lack of rain on arable land, crops are getting damaged in the sun.
Farmers are desperate for irrigation water. Among the three pumps of the Ganga-Kapotaksha irrigation scheme, two pumps were closed earlier. One of them was operational, but the other was shut down due to electrical reasons. Farmer Anwar Hossain said, ‘Aman has seen root rot disease and attacks of maggots. Various insecticides have been applied, but to no avail.
Aman does not get water from the Ganga-Kapotaksha irrigation scheme during the peak season. Water has to be purchased from irrigation pump owners at an extra cost. I planted paddy in the canal to have water, but now I see no water. Due to a lack of water, various crops, including paddy and vegetables, are getting damaged.
Many of us have stopped boring in the hope of water from the Water Development Board. Every year, we cultivate with canal water. At this time, I see that there is no water, and I am in a lot of trouble. There is a high probability that the target level of Aman rice will not be achieved. Mizanur Rahman, executive engineer of the Water Development Board, said, ‘The PLC power circulation unit of the pump has been damaged due to high voltage.
The pump has been shut down since September 17th, 2023. I will be able to repair it soon. PLC switches are not available anywhere in Bangladesh as they are from Japan. So we have to import from China or Korea. Hopefully, it will come to us soon. An emergency meeting is being held today, Thursday, in the Faridpur Water Development Board office.
