RAJSHAHI, Jan 13: The Boral River in the district has turned into a dead one in this dry season.
The local farmers are cultivating different crops and vegetables on the riverbed.
Local people alleged that due to building of dam in the upstream for irrigation and several bridges on the river at different places, the natural flow of the river has been hampered.
Besides, due to the creation of numerous chars caused by the drying of the Padma River, the Boral River is now on the verge of extinction. Massive siltation has been found in the river. The riverbank has been damaged as different establishments have been set up there. The encroachers have occupied most of the chars in the river.
The Boral River originated as the branch river of the Padma, and crossing through Bagha and Charghat upazilas of Rajshahi, Bagatipara and Baraigram upazilas of Natore, and Chatmohar, Vangura and Faridpur upazilas of Pabna, it has fallen into the Jamuna River.
Due to communication facility, different establishments including Arani Bazaar, Rustampur cattle market, Panka Bazaar, Jamnagar Bazaar, Bashbaria Bazaar and Tomaltala Bazaar were set up on the two sides of the Boral River.
Bangladesh Water Development Board built a dam at the source of the river at Charghat on 1981-82 fiscal year. As a result, the normal flow of the river was hampered.
Principal of Arani Degree College Shahbaz Ali said, though there is some water in the river during rainy season, it turns out dry totally in dry season.
Farmer Kalim Uddin of Gochar Village said, as the Boral riverbed is dry, the local farmers cultivate different crops and vegetables. Once the people who used the water of Boral for irrigation, now set up deep tube-wells on the riverbed for irrigation purpose.
Assistant Teacher of Arani Government Monomohiny High School Kamrul Hasan Jewel said due to lack of water in the river, the commercial establishments on the riverbank have lost their past glory. The underground water level in the river is decreasing fast as deep tube-wells have been set up for use in different purposes. If the government doesn't take steps to revive the river through digging, it will become totally extinct.
Acting Agriculture Officer of Bagha Upazila Shamimul Islam said the river should be dug soon to keep its existence.
