BAKSA, Nov 19 � Some 120 kilometres from Guwahati on the Indo-Bangla border in Baksa district, a script of resurgence is being written!
After remaining at the receiving end of Mother Nature for years, villagers of Nagrijuli have finally learnt the art of taming nature to their favour.
Villagers with the help of Gramya Vikash Mancha, a local NGO run by some educated youths, now have devised a simple, cost-effective yet fruitful method of irrigation which is all set to change the complexion and size of the agricultural produce in Nagrijuli development block.
The lack of any channelization mechanism of the river water flowing from neighboring country Bhutan during rainy season mostly had a telling effect on the agricultural land as the earthen canals and wooden embankments fail to withstand the pressure of the river water.
But, the novel intervention not only aspires to determine the economic quotient of the villagers but also attempts to check the exodus of major chunk of young population year after year, some even opting to cross over to the neighboring country in search of jobs.
Thanks to the NGO, which is funded by Jamsetji Tata Trust for the project, the water-starved agricultural-based population has begun to see a ray of hope even as those at the helm of affairs continue to turn a blind eye to their plight.
As part of the diversion-based irrigation project, the NGO with the help of the villagers has constructed a 12-kilometre concrete canal besides a number of sub canals to channelize the flow of water from Oranga river towards the agricultural fields and the results are there to see.
As a result of the initiative, over 12,000 bighas of agricultural field, mostly paddy, are now being successfully irrigated. Villagers now want the Government to take a cue from the NGO's work and replicate the method in the entire Nagrijuli area.
