Minor irrigation census goes on in Cooch Behar

 

COOCH BEHAR, Jan. 16: Minor Irrigation Census (MIC) is going on in all the 1208-mouzas in twelve block areas of Cooch Behar district. It started in November and expected to be completed in the next month. Planning of minor irrigation policy of the government depends on this survey.

 

Normally, the minor irrigation census conducted in every five years. All minor irrigation facilities including Riverwater Lifting Irrigation (RLI), ground water, sallow tubewells and deep tubewells come under this survey. Examining the outcome of the survey the agencies concerned can chalk out plans for adding more minor irrigation facilities to bring more cultivable lands under irrigation coverage.

 

Assistant engineer of agri-irrigation division of water resources investigation and development department, Mr Raja Ghosh said thirty percent of agricultural land was under irrigation coverage in this district according to the third MIC that was held in 2001. Since then different agencies including Uttar Banga Unnayan Parshad, Cooch Behar Zilla Parishad, Panchayat Samities and others did a lot to improve the irrigation scenario of the district. The result of their efforts will come to light after completion of the survey, he said.

 

According to the census of 2001 the irrigated areas in Mathabhanga-I block is at the bottom of the list while Dinhata-I is on the top. Out of 28,422-hectre lands in Dinhata-I block the agri-irrigation division brought 46.17 percent land under irrigation cover. In Mathabhanga-I 19.34 percent of 32,276-hectre lands was extended with irrigation facilities. Not only the agri-irrigation division did the job but also other agencies did it. The Minor Irrigation Census is going on to learn the actual position of irrigation facilities that are being done by different agencies in the district.

 

As there is no system of co-ordination about implementation of different irrigation schemes among the agencies it is difficult for the government and others to know the actual situation, Mr Ghosh said. The survey report may iron out the problem, he hoped. []