Shiv River in crisis of existence in Tanore: Water drying up, agricultural production hit -hard
Sohanul Haque Parvez Tanor (Rajshahi)
The ancient and traditional Shiv Nad of Tanore in Rajshahi is now in crisis. This once-vibrant river is now dying due to encroachment, pollution and silt accumulation. As the river became dry at the beginning of the Falgun-Chaitra months, farmers on the banks have started crying for water for boro and other crops.
It has been seen on the ground that the river, which was used by launches in the eighties and which was the main waterway of Tanore , today has turned into knee-deep water in some places and into a sandy beach in others. However, the agricultural civilization of this region was developed around the silt and water of this river. Local sources say that the Shiv Nad originally originated from the Atrai River in the Mahadevpur area of Naogaon, traveled about 50 kilometers, merged with the Jamdaha River in the Bagdhani of Pabar, and took the name Barani.
Until 1982, regular cargo and passenger launches used to ply this route from Nohata in Rajshahi. But in the 1960s, its death began after the natural flow of the river was blocked by a dam at Baidyapur in Mandar in the name of flood control. Currently, the river is filled, causing waterlogging and artificial flooding in the area with even a little rain during the monsoon season.
On the other hand, as the water dries up during the dry season, thousands of acres of land dependent on the river are under threat. Farmers in the Mundumala area of Tanore said that the groundwater level in the Barendra region is constantly dropping. Due to the acute shortage of drinking water, the BMDA is discouraging additional water extraction. In such a situation, there is no other option to keep agriculture alive except to dredge the Shiv River and create a water reservoir.
Expressing anger, the farmers said that although the Water Development Board has taken initiatives to dig some creeks connected to the river, the main river is still neglected. Due to the lack of water in the main river, ordinary farmers are not getting the benefits of canal dredging. If the river cannot be dredged quickly and navigable, there is a fear that a large amount of agricultural land will remain fallow.
The locals demand that the concerned authorities take immediate and effective steps to dredge and renovate the Shiv River to restore lost traditions and keep agricultural production alive.
