Water is being supplied full-fledged in country’s largest irrigation project GK (Ganges-Kobadak) from the evening of April 6.  Total 14.5 m RL (Reduced Level) water is being supplied to the discharge channel.

Mizanur Rahman, executive engineer of GK’s pump house, confirmed saying that this is the highest supply.

If water is supplied at this level, the farmer will get water from the main canal to branches, drains, sub-drains. There are about 1655 km of different types of canals and ditches under the project, he said.

The project is totally dependent on Padma’s water and this water is brought from the river to the pump house of the project by constructing an intake channel of about 2 km.

About 1, 97,500 hectares of land in Kushtia, Chuadanga, Jhenaidah and Magura districts are irrigated in two seasons. These irrigation activities are spread in 13 upazilas of these four districts. Water supply to the project is normally started on second week of January every year.

Officials of the GK project said if the water level in the Padma comes down, there is a threat to the water supply of the GK. In order to keep the water supply uninterrupted, the intake channel of GK should always have a water level of 14.5 m RL so that full irrigation can be provided. At the same time, the water in the river Padma should be at least 34 thousand cusecs.

The government has to spend around Tk 30 crore every year to keep GK intake channel waterlogged.

According to GK officials, two main pumps and 12 supplementary pumps got a shut down on March 26 as the water fell down to 4.5-meter RL in the intake channel. They said the water in the Padma at that time was only 23,000 cusecs. The reason for the low water level in the Padma was that India withdrew water from the Ganges.

GK officials said the Ganges water has to be shared between India and Bangladesh every dry season based on the 1998 Ganges water sharing treaty.

According to the historic water sharing agreement, water flow in Farakka is distributed between Bangladesh and India on a 10-day basis during the dry season from January 1 to May 31 of each year.

According to the agreement, both Bangladesh and India will get 50 per cent water if the flow of water in Farakka is 70,000 cusecs or less in the first 10 days. In the second 10 days, if there is a flow of 70,000 cusecs to 75,000 cusecs at Farakka Point, Bangladesh will definitely get 35,000 cusecs of water and India will get the remaining water. If 75,000 cusecs or more of water flows at Farakka Point for the third 10 days, India will get 40,000 cusecs of water, Bangladesh will get the rest.

According to the website of the Joint Rivers Commission of Bangladesh, from January 1 to March 20, the water flow in Farakka was 59,522 cusecs and in Hardinge Bridge Point in Bangladesh it was 36,393 cusecs.

India’s availability started from last March 20. As a result, India took its share of water from the Ganges. India's water withdrawal cycle ended on March 31. It will go to India again on April 10 and India will withdrew water again from April 11.

Meanwhile, in a press release issued by the Joint River Commission on April 6, it was said that Bangladesh is now getting guaranteed 35,000 cusecs (1 cubic foot per second) of water. The circular signed by Commission member Mahmudur Rahman said Bangladesh will get 35,000 cusecs of water from April 1 to April 10. In the previous 11 days, India has similarly taken 35,000 cusec water. According to the agreement, the availability of Bangladesh at that time was only 23,544 cusecs.

Jahedul Islam, executive engineer of hydrology department at the Water Development Board (WDB) said water was found 35,946 cusecs at Hardinge Bridge point on April 5.

It is believed that this trend may continue till January 15, he said.

Water experts said the water problem in Ganges basin is a little more this time. The main reason is unavailability of rain. It hasn't rained yet this season. As a result, the main flow of water in the Ganges is very weak. Both India and Bangladesh are facing troubles in sharing water.

Meanwhile, officials at the Department of Agricultural Extension have shared mixed reaction.

Agriculture officials in Kushtia, Chuadanga, Jhenaidah and Magura districts say farmers in GK’s commanding areas generally do not have access to alternative water supplies. They are completely dependent on GK’s irrigation.

Shyamal Kumar Biswas, Deputy Director, Kushtia Agricultural Extension Department, said it is time for flowering in paddy. The next 15/20 days is an important time for paddy. Inadequate water supply during can be injurious to paddy.

Mohammad Moniruzzaman, supervising engineer of the GK project, said there has been no shortage of water at the GK pump since the historic 1997 water treaty. The main reason for this is the lack of rain.

He told that due to insufficient rainfall at this time of the year, water flows in the Ganges basin is weaker. He said that they are thinking about the issue so that the farmers do not have to suffer in any way.