KHULNA, July 14, 2024 (BSS)-The government has taken initiatives for the excavation and re-excavation of 61 canals under the Khulna agriculture region aiming at a smooth irrigation to enhance productivity of seasonal crops.

The Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) has already sent a revised proposal for excavation and re-excavation of 61 canals of three districts under the zone to the Ministry of Agriculture for approval, said DAE officials.

The excavation and re-excavation of 61 canals of 14 upazila of Khulna, Bagerhat and Satkhira have been crying need of the farmers for a long time, DAE official said, adding that a total of 30,978 hectares of crop land can be brought under cultivation and crops worth around Tk 586.67cr. can be produced after completion of the 1st phase of the revised proposal.

The rivers and canals of 14 upazilas of the revised proposal have been filled with silt in the Khulna agricultural region, said Kazi Zahangir Hossain, Additional Director (Acting) of DAE of Khulna agriculture zone.

He said that water enters into the farming land by breaking embankments every year due to natural disasters and over 1.73 lakh hectares of land are over flooded. As a result, the land remains uncultivated every year.

The first proposal was the excavation and re-excavation of 615 canals. The Ministry of Agriculture has sent it to the Ministry of Water Resources. They suggested the digging of all the proposed canals in few phases according to their importance, he said.

In the first proposal, a total of 62,110 hectares of cropland could be brought under cultivation. The crops worth around Tk 1,696.94 cr. could be earned by farming various crops including paddy and wheat, he said.

With a view to achieving more production, a proposal of 615 canal excavations and re- excavation projects covering a farming area of 62,110 acres of land was sent to the Ministry of Agriculture, he said, adding that according to importance, the revised proposal includes 61 canals of 14 upazilas in the agri-zone.

A total of 1,185 natural canals existed in the Khulna Agricultural Zone. But only a total of 572 canals can flow water. The water flow of the canals is interrupted due to fish farming.

A survey team headed by ex-DAE Additional Director Mohon Kumar Ghosh collected the data and made a survey report regarding farming land and got the views of the farmers of this region. The report has been sent to the Ministry of Agriculture.

Talking to BSS ex-additional director of DAE of Khulna agri-zone Mohon Kumar, said the farmers of this region will get the benefits very soon when the excavation and re-excavation of the canals are completed successfully.  

Water Development Board (WDB) should have to repair the dams and sluice gates as soon as possible as those are the danger points if the dams break during natural disasters, he said.

Besides, the 44 canals (Leasing) off the 572 canals must be stopped anyhow as it makes a blockade the water flow. On the other hand, salinity water enters into the croplands due to fish farming. As a result, the production of all kinds of crops including paddy and wheat is decreasing gradually here, he said.

Apart from this, the water logging problem will be solved if the rivers and canals are dredged.

Farmers will get fresh water for irrigation by harvesting rainwater. Finally, the production of crops will increase remarkably, Mohon Kumar hoped.