RAJSHAHI, April 27, 2022 (BSS)- A 10-member high-level Nepalese delegation
today visited the irrigation management activities being conducted by Barind
Multipurpose Development Authorities (BMDA) in the district.

The delegation led by Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Minister of the
country Pampha Bhusal went round the activities, including underground water
extraction through deep tube-wells, supply to the farmers fields, use of
prepaid meters and supply of drinking water, in the drought-prone Barind
area.
 
They also visited the surface water based irrigation practice at Sarmangla
area under Godagari upazila besides holding a view-sharing meeting with BMDA
management at the Sarmangla site to know how they operate the irrigation
activities.

BMDA Chairman Begum Akhter Jahan and its Executive Director Engineer Abdur
Rashid informed the delegation about their activities.

Among the delegation members, Planning Commission Member Surendra Labh Karna,
Secretary to the Water Resource Ministry Devendra Karki, Water Resource
Director General Susheel Chandra Acharya, Project Director Dipendra Laudari
and ADB Consultants Ashish Bhadra Khal and Dr Asaduz Zaman shared their views
on the issue.

Engineer Abdur Rashid told the delegation that BMDA has provided irrigation
to over 1.07 lakh hectares of croplands in the country's northwest region
during the last nine months of the current 2021-22 fiscal contributing a lot
to boosting production.
 
The huge croplands were brought under irrigation facilities through 13,203
power-driven deep tube wells (DTWs) and 337 low lift pumps in almost round
the year.
 
Engineer Rashid also said the irrigated lands have yielded more than 34.32
lakh tonnes including 26.76 lakh tonnes of additional crops of around Taka
4,348.5 crore in the region especially in the vast Barind tract yearly.
 
Till March last, the BMDA activated 4,332 inoperative deep tube-wells,
installed 11,474 deep tube-wells and 601 low lift pumps, re-excavated
2093.32-kilometer canals and 3451 derelict ponds.
 
It has also constructed and expanded 12413.56-kilometer water distribution
infrastructures alongside setting up 1579 drinking water supply
installations, 578 dug wells and 749 cross-dams, which ensured a sound
irrigation system here.