THE reported irregularities in the Teesta Barrage Irrigation Project burden ordinary farmers already faced with other problems. Farmers in the north allege that they pay Tk 1,000 an acre for the project鈥檚 water supply for irrigation while the government fee is Tk 480 an acre. The project, on the River Teesta at Hatibandha in Lalmonirhat, supplies irrigation water for Rangpur, Nilphamari, Gaibandha, Dinajpur, Joypurhat and Bogura through a 750km canal network. There are 78 farmers鈥� associations there that collect the payment. The farmers allege that the additional amount is collected by a nexus of association leaders and Water Development Board officials. A project gatekeeper, also a leader of the association at Dimla, says that the additional money is paid to workers for cleaning and monitoring the canals, but a Water Development Board official claims that they are unaware that farmers are charged double the amount for irrigation water. This calls for an early investigation of the reported irregularities in the Teesta project operation.
There are other irregularities such as illegal sand lifting and tree felling reported earlier in the project area in Nilphamari. After the project had been commissioned in 1998, the forest department reached an agreement with the Water Development Board and planted thousands of trees lining along the canals. Some unscrupulous groups have illegally lifted sand from the canal embankments and felled trees to sell the sand and wood for high prices, risking embankment collapses and inundating surrounding areas. In 2021, the Water Development Board initiated a Tk 1,500 crore project to expand the canal network, which involved mass tree felling in the project area. It was alleged that time that the bidders gave work orders for felling trees in collusion with some forest and water board officials, taking down far more trees than authorised for profits. Irregularities and corruption appear to have defeated the purpose of the project. Irregularities in the irrigation water distribution in Rajshahi division have also been reported. In 2022, two Santal farmers in Rajshahi reportedly committed suicide as they were denied access to irrigation water from Barind Multipurpose Development Authority deep tube wells.
An irrigation water problem because of surface water depletion, deforestation and decreasing rainfall has been a concern for farmers. It is, therefore, unfortunate that projects taken to ease farmers鈥� suffering have instead become a burden because of irregularities and corruption. The government should immediately investigate the allegations that the farmers are forced to pay additional amount for irrigation water and address other associated concerns.
