Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
Irrigation Problems and Fall in Crop Yield
Mrs. Begum further quoted Dhaka's report on the dry season of 1976:
Over 400,000 (0.4 million) acres of land were affected
owing to soil moisture efficiency
and increase of salinity. More than 4000 low-lift pumps in the area suffered. All the shallow
tube-wells
...
(and) a large number of deep tube-wells in the area were affected due to fall
in the sub-soil water level. The subsidiary pumps of the G.K. Project ceased to operate, as
the Ganges water-level fell below the lowest operation limit. The three main pumps faced
operational difficulties
...
.It is estimated that approximately 33% of the irrigation facilities
could not operate, because of the decreased availability of water.
...
She also added that owing to delay in cultivation of one crop, the whole pattern of
due-time cultivation was disturbed, which resulted in fall of production. Yield of rice
alone fell short by 236,000 tons, or 20% of Bangladesh's food imports, excluding
the loss of production of second crop, owing to delay in planting the first crop.
Impact on Aquatic Life
Mrs. Begum quoted the White Paper of Bangladesh as under:
The reduced water availability significantly reduced the landing of fish, probably because
of the disturbance of the historic food chain and inability of fish to tolerate shallow depths
and the unprecedented levels of salinity. At three key landing points, at Khulna, Goalanda
and Chandpur, the percentage of reduction in landing of fish during February to June, 1976
compared to the corresponding period of 1975 was 75%, 34% and 46%, respectively.
There was also sharp decline in the production and catch of
hilsa
, a migratory
delicious fish, very dear to the people of two Bengals and a major Bangladesh export
to countries where Bengalees live. To this, India replied that the Farakka Barrage
could in no way be blamed, because it did not alter the flow pattern of the Ganga in
monsoon months when the yield and haul of
hilsa
were the maximum.
Effect on Navigation
Surface transport infrastructure is under-developed in Bangladesh; as a result, trade,
commerce, transport and communication are mostly dependent on ferry services in
the Ganga and its tributaries, especially in south Bangladesh. Mrs. Begum quoted
Bangladesh government's statement in support of her view that the Agreement had
affected navigation too.
Two major ferry terminals had to shift their operations, one four miles and (another) one
five miles.
Ninety miles of navigation routes on the Ganga (from Godagari to Archa)
went out of commission, 45 miles on the Gorai and 15 miles on the Padma.
...
In addition
to these, in three specific reaches, navigation throughout the entire region was hampered.
...
To this, India replied that navigation on the Ganga and on the tributaries of Padma
was possible only in monsoon months, from June to November and impossible in
lean months. Mechanized navigation in the Ganga / Padma up to the confluence
of The Brahmaputra is very few only, therefore the effect of withdrawal of 40,000
cusecs on Bangladesh navigation was negligible.
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