200 acres of land lying uncultivated for water-logging
ABOUT 200 acres of land in the Boro Beel area at village Ratugram under Durgapur upazila in Rajshahi remained uncultivated for the last several years due to water-logging. Local people said the water stagnancy created in the bil due to closure of the water drainage channels, depriving local farmers from cultivating crops. The huge land of the water body remains under water every year because of floods and heavy downpour in the rainy season in the absence of sewage outlet, local farmers said. Earlier, two canals were dug in the southern and northern sides to drain out water from the bil. But several influential local people filled up the canals with earth in 1997 and started cultivation of onion, IRRI paddy on the land, creating water stagnancy in the bil area. Many farmers of Ratugram, Kayamajampur, Badail and Ujalkalsi villages have their land in the bil and are being deprived of cultivating crops. The farmers said the authorities concerned should take initiatives for re-excavating the closed canals. 'If the authorities take immediate step, we could cultivate boro paddy on our land during the current season,' said a farmer.