RAJSHAHI, Aug 8, 2020 (BSS)- Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) has
adopted special steps for boosting seedling production of transplanted Aman
paddy through alternative ways aimed at recouping the losses caused by flood
in Rajshahi region.
“We’ve started making community seedbeds and floating seedbeds besides
growing seed on trays in the flood affected areas of Rajshahi, Naogaon and
Natore districts,” said Sudhendra Nath Roy, additional director of the DAE.
Community seedbed of troubled time Aman paddy has already been made on
6.20 acres of land in Rajshahi and Naogaon districts through using four high
yielding varieties with close supervision and monitoring by the DAE
officials.
“We’ve used 150 kilograms (Kg) of Brri Dhan 34, 150-kg of BINA7, 600-kg of
Chiniatab and 1,500-kg of BR22 for the community seedbed purposes,” said
Sudhen Roy.
Target has also been set to create a total of 200 floating seedbeds of BR-
23 variety with 144-kg of seeds in Rajshahi and Natore districts. Among the
target, 144 seedbeds were already completed.
Apart from this, preparation is going on to erect 380 seedbeds on trays
with 22-kg seeds of Brridhan71 and 32-kg seed of BINA7 varieties in Rajshahi.
Agriculturist Sudhen Roy said the ongoing flood has affected seedbeds of
transplanted Aman on 345 hectares of land besides 6,500 hectares of
transplanted Aush, 1,855 hectares of newly transplanted Aman and 877 hectares
of direct seeded Aman paddy in Rajshahi, Chapainawabganj, Naogaon and Natore
districts.
Meanwhile, the local administration has recorded that around 7.02 lakh
people of 1.86 lakh families and standing crops on around 34,140 hectares of
land have become affected in different districts of Rajshahi division.
Moinul Islam, additional commissioner of Rajshahi division, said 64 unions
in Sirajganj, 24 in Bogura, 19 each in Pabna and Naogaon and 17 unions and
two pourasabhas in Natore district are said to be the worst affected ones.
In only Sirajganj district, around 5.04 lakh people of 1.19 lakh families
and standing crops on 14,013 hectares of land were affected by the deluge in
around 1,028-kilometer low-lying areas.
In Bogura district, around 32,938 households consisting 1.34 lakh people
and standing crops on 9,038 hectares of land of 167 char and other low-lying
villages were affected by the floodwater.
In Naogaon district, around 18,968 families and seasonal crops on 3,165
hectares of land have been affected, while 44,600 people of 10,400 families
and crops of 3,453 hectares of land have become waterlogged in Natore
district.
Moinul Islam said the flood affected people have, so far, received around
1,557 tonnes of rice and Taka 65.27 lakh in cash and for different food items
to mitigate their livelihood related hardships caused by the natural disaster
in the division.
As part of its humanitarian assistance to tackle the flood situation, the
government has allocated around 4,189 tonnes of rice, Taka 1.17 crore in
cash, Taka 33.08 lakh for baby food, 55,090 packets of dry food and another
Taka 45 lakh for cattle feed for the water-logged people in the division.
The affected families were also given Taka 30.27 lakh in cash so that they
can meet up their livelihood related emergency needs.
Besides, 15,174 packets of dry foods were distributed among the marooned
people. The government has also distributed Taka 14 lakh for baby food and
Taka 21 lakh for cattle feed.
Apart from this, there are also stocks of relief materials of 1,132 tonnes
of rice, Taka 46.82 lakh in cash, 23,916 packets of dry foods, Taka four lakh
for baby food and Taka nine lakh for cattle feed at present for distribution
among the waterlogged people.
If needed, the hardest hit people will also get 1,500 tonnes of rice, Taka
40 lakh in cash, 16,000 packets of dry food, Taka 15 lakh for baby food and
another Taka 15 lakh for cattle feed in Sirajganj, Bogura and Natore
districts.