Eight northern dists get a quarter of power needed
Crisis hits IRRI-Boro cultivation: Only 5pc of irrigation machines run on power
Rafique Sarker, Rangpur
IRRI-Boro cultivation in eight northern districts in greater Rangpur and Dinajpur is being seriously affected due to power crisis as the Power Development Board and the Rural Electrification Board (REB) together supplies only one fourth of the need. Sources of Power Development Board said, only 70 mw power is being supplied against the demand for 235 mw in the eight districts during the current IRRI-Boro season, resulting in frequent load shedding and low voltage. Irrigation machines are tripping and going out of order, many farmers said while talking to this correspondent in Rangpur. To the utter surprise of farmers and other consumers, the 20 mw small power plants at Sayedpur and Rangpur are not functioning for some days due to mechanical trouble. The situation has not improved despite demonstrations by farmers at several places on several occasions since beginning of the IRRI-Boro season. The farmers brought out processions, besieged REB offices and handed over memorandums to the authorities for smooth power supply for irrigtion, but to no result. Hundreds of farmers laid a siege to Boderganj REB office on Friday. Such demonstrations were held in front of REB office at Debiganj in Thakurgaon on Thursday and at Sathibari in Rangpur on Tuesday. When contacted, PDB Chief Engineer of Rangpur Circle (comprising the eight northern districts) Ahkab Uddin said, the situation is unlikely to improve till more power is supplied to the National Grid. He said suspension of generation in the two small power plants has aggravated the situation. Steps have been taken to resume production in the two plants as soon as possible, he said. Worst sufferers of the 'intolerable' load shedding are farmers who run shallow and deep tube wells with electricity. Sources in the Agriculture Extension Department here said several thousand shallow and deep tube wells are now out of order due to due to frequent load shedding and fluctuation in voltage. Many of the farmers are now running their machines with diesel instead of electricity as they did not get power for days together. Abul Hossen, a farmer of Hazraotpur under Mithapukur upzila said, he gave up all hope of getting power supply as REB stopped supply on the plea of faulty line. About two lakh hectares of land have been brought under IRRI-Boro cultivation in greater Rangpur and Dinajpur districts this year, according to AED sources. But five percent the lands in the region are being irrigated by power-driven irrigation machines, they said.
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