Farmlands on the wane for pond digging in Rajshahi

Defying government rules, excavation of ponds in agricultural land is going on in various places of Rajshahi district.

More than 3,000 ponds have been excavated so far in Rajshahi only in the last five years.

Those ponds have destroyed nearly 18,000 bighas of agricultural plain land.

Due to unplanned excavation, the amount of fertile farm land is being cut short, while water logging is being created in surrounding lands making them unfit for cultivation.

It is learnt, without following any government rules and regulations, local influentials were changing the types of land used by excavating ponds in farmlands.

Local people have complained, a syndicate are engaged in excavation of ponds and pisciculture were very influential and local administration remained helpless to their power.

Farmers of the district have opined, though at first excavation of those ponds is being termed as a part of development; those would result in dangerous environmental catastrophes in near future.

Excavation of some of those ponds have blocked release of water from nearby beel area whether some have created water logging in neighboring farm land.

Due to such waterlogging, farmers in the district fail to cultivate boro paddy, potato, wheat and vegetables in several thousands bighas of land during the current year.

Saiful Bari Bhulu, Chairman of Parila Union of Paba upazila said, waterlogging has been created due to unplanned excavation of several hundred ponds in Bhabanipur, Gholbaria, Uzirpur, Bhalukpukur, Motiabeel, Boyer beel areas of the union.

Farmers in those areas are not being able to cultivate vegetables, potato, boro and wheat during the current season due to waterlogging created by the excavated ponds.

Local people complained to the administration to take initiatives over the issue for making their land free from waterlogging.

According to Agriculture Extension department sources in Rajshahi, a total of 3,035 new ponds have been excavated in Rajshahi district during last five years.

A total of 2,110 hectares of agricultural land have been used for excavation of ponds and waterlogging has been created in 328 hectares of land from the enclosures of those ponds.