The successful re-excavation of extinct canals, beels, and ponds and planting of trees on the banks have revitalized the lost ecosystem and improved the environment, creating stunning greenery in the Rangpur region.
It has been possible following implementation of the government’s five-year term (2019-2025) ‘Expansion of irrigation in greater Rangpur district through best uses of surface water and conservation of rainwater (EIR) project’ at Taka 288-crore.
Thousands of rural people are reaping multifaceted benefits from the project through promoting agriculture, pisciculture, tree plantation, farming vegetables, banana and grass to feed cattle heads, rearing ducks and fishing to improve livelihoods.
The watery areas of re-excavated canals, beels and ponds are now full due to the chirping of various indigenous birds, flora and fauna, insects and huge varieties of lost rare species of trees on the banks creating sight beholding scenes.
Barind Multipurpose Development Authority (BMDA) under the Ministry of Agriculture has implemented the project in 35 upazilas of Rangpur, Nilphamari, Kurigram, Lalmonirhat and Gaibandha districts in greater Rangpur region.
Talking to BSS, Project Director of the EIR project and Superintending Engineer of BMDA for Rangpur Circle Engineer Md Habibur Rahman Khan said thousands of people are enjoying enormous benefits from the just implemented project.
The project has been implemented to promote agriculture making best use of conserved surface water, forestation and improve environment and biodiversity, revive ecosystems and sanctuaries for indigenous species of fish, insects, birds, flora and fauna.
Under the project, re-excavation of extinct canals, beels and ponds, installation of low lift pumps, solar power-run dug-wells and construction of foot-over bridges and cross dams and plantation of 2.30 lakh saplings of wood, fruit and medicinal trees have been done.
“The project has also created facilities for using renewable solar energy in irrigating croplands, increasing cultivation of less water consuming crops utilising water from dug-wells and enhancing forest resources,” he said.
Talking to BSS, local villagers expressed happiness saying that they are witnessing revival of the lost ecosystems around the extinct water bodies with fresh environment and stunning greening and biodiversity again after four decades.
Mashiur Rahman of village Sangkarpur in Badarganj upazila of Rangpur said re-excavation of the extinct river Mora Teesta and tree plantation on the banks have revived ecosystems and water flow in the river improving drainage of rainwater.
Housewives Azmira Khatun, Momina Begum of village Kamarpara and Hosne Area and Fahmida of village Jharpara said they are improving livelihoods by rearing ducks and farming banana and vegetables following re-excavation of the river Mora Teesta.
Farmer Golam Mortuza of village Kazipara in the same upazila said re-excavation of the extinct river Ghirnoi along with plantation of thousands of tree saplings on the banks has freed vast area of cropland from water-logging and the nature has become green.
Abdur Rahman, Mohammad Hamid and Mahbubar Rahman of nearby Kuthipara village said they are fishing in the re-excavated river Ghirnoi to meet their nutrition and improve livelihoods by selling their netted indigenous fish.
Meanwhile, a sight beholding landscape has been created following re-excavation of the 11.59-acre Bharardaho Beel alongside plantation of 213 species of rare wood, fruit, medicinal and flower plants on its 100-feet wide bank in Badarganj upazila of Rangpur.
Around 7,000 trees on the banks have created a luxurious garden with green spaces and incredible natural scenery around the Bharardaho Beel, making it a sanctuary for migratory and endangered native birds, fish, animals and insects, flora and fauna.
Hafizur Rahman of nearby village Dangapara said the Bharardaho Beel with lavishly growing flora and fauna has become a sanctuary for fish, birds and aquatic living beings in revived ecosystems, where people are rushing to enjoy the beauty of green nature.
Chairman of Berubari union in Nageshwari upazila of Kurigram district Abdul Motaleb said re-excavation of the Boalerdara canal alongside plantation of saplings on the banks has promoted agriculture, revived the ecosystems and improved the environment.
Housewife Nur Salma of village Betgara in Mithapukur upazila of Rangpur said re-excavation of the 10.94-acre Shosthichhara Beel alongside plantation of saplings on the bank has changed the ecosystems amidst greenery all-around benefiting hundreds of people.
