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January
27, 2001
Kurigram, Jan 26 (UNB)–The rapid fall of water level in river Teesta caused by unilateral withdrawal of water by India forced thousands of farmers in
Nilphamari, Rangpur and Dinajpur districts to leave their croplands uncultivated this season.
Teesta Barrage, the country’s largest irrigation project, has virtually failed to return smile on the faces of the beleaguered farmers in the region as India continues to unilaterally withdraw water constructing a barrage at
Gazaldoba, 65 kms off the Teesta Barrage.
Although the first phase work on the Teesta Barrage Project completed on June 30,1998, most farmers under the project cannot avail of irrigation facility as the barrage surrounded by shoals and sands has no adequate flow of water.
According to officials, the Teesta Barrage Project was, in fact, taken in 1935. But the work on it started on Dec 12, 1979 at Dalia Doani in Dimla upazila of Nilphamari district.
The barrage was formally inaugurated on August 5,1990, aiming at producing 20 megawatts of electricity for providing irrigation facility to 13.35 lakh acres of land in 35 upazilas of
Dinajpur, Bogra and greater Rangpur districts.
Later, the project was split into two phases, separating the power generation programme from it. Upon completion of the first phase work, some 3.81 lakh acres of land in 12 upazilas of the three districts were brought under irrigation facility.
Various infrastructure works, including excavation of a 380-km canal, an 80-km flood control dam and a 30-km main channel along with a 74-km secondary and a 387-km tertiary channels, and construction of 157 bridges, 353 culverts and 2,000 outlets, were completed to irrigate croplands in the districts.
Although the authorities expect to produce additional 4.87 lakh mts of paddy and 82,000 mts of wheat from the croplands under the project, some 6,000 acres of land, out of 3.81 lakh acres, have so far been brought under its irrigation facility.
But there have been allegations that the barrage was opened hastily in 1998 in the face of pressure from the government leaving its various infrastructure works like excavation of a 17-km tertiary canal and earth filling incomplete.
To hush up the irregularities, an amount of Tk 20 crore was later sanctioned to complete the uncompleted works of the project, according to competent sources.
Locals alleged that some contractors did not work as per the project profile.
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