Defunct Deep Tube-Well (Irrigation Pump) Farmers Fear Irrigation Crisis During Boro Season

A defunct deep tube-well has become a major source of trouble for the farmers of Abdullarpada village in Jummarbari Union, Saghata, Gaibandha.

Local farmers claim that the deep tube-well has been out of order for a long time. Farmers allege that the Upazila Irrigation Committee is not accepting applications for new tube-wells due to the constraints of the Barind Multipurpose Development Authority's (BMDA) tube-well policy. As a result, the irrigation of agricultural land is being severely hampered. Several farmers fear an irrigation crisis for at least 25 bighas of land in the upcoming Boro season even with alternative arrangements.

According to the Saghata BMDA sources, this deep tube-well was installed by the Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC) in Abdullarpada in 1985. At that time, at least a hundred bighas of land were under the coverage of this tube-well. Later, in 2005, BADC handed over the tube-well to the Barind Multipurpose Development Authority. Subsequently, due to the construction of houses and the growth of settlements in the deep tube-well area, the underground water supply pipes were damaged, rendering the pump unfit for irrigation.

Consequently, a number of farmers are facing difficulties in irrigating their land. Local farmers Nurunnabi, Mostafizur, and Hobibur, among others, complain that a few years ago the pump was often shut down, resulting in lower crop yields due to lack of irrigation. "We don't want to see this broken tube-well anymore. Now it has become an obstacle to our crop production," they said. They are forced to irrigate their land through alternative arrangements from a distance, which results in additional costs and deprives them of the desired crop yield.

Manager Abdul Momin said, "Due to the construction of permanent houses all around, the water delivery pipes of the tube-well have been damaged, and the water line is shut off. Because of this, some farmers are compelled to cultivate their land using separate tube-wells. The pump is now defunct because there isn't enough land under its coverage and the underground pipes are damaged. Farmers are considering the pump a burden now. That's why attempts to restart it have been unsuccessful. I have incurred financial losses trying to operate it. It is not possible to run the tube-well at a loss. Therefore, I have been compelled to apply to the Barind Multipurpose Development Authority for a permanent solution regarding the defunct tube-well. I have no objection if any farmer wishes to install a tube-well to irrigate his own land."

Mozzafar Hossain, Assistant Engineer (Additional Charge) of Saghata Upazila Barind Multipurpose Development Authority, admitted the pump's closure, saying, "The deep tube-well did not belong to our department. BADC handed it over to us. Currently, the pump is shut down due to a lack of cooperation from local farmers."

Golam Rabbany, Member Secretary of the Upazila Irrigation Committee and Assistant Engineer of BADC, Gaibandha District, stated, "I was unaware of the tube-well's closure. Now that I know, the matter will be investigated, and action will be taken."