Choked canals, dry fields: Farmers decry gross mismanagement in irrigation project in Boko

Farmers across several villages in Assam’s Boko-Chhaygaon constituency are up in arms over the alleged negligence of the Irrigation Department, accusing it of gross mismanagement that has rendered a multi-crore irrigation project non-functional. The Medhipara Flow Irrigation Project, located on the Boko River in Bakarapara village, was meant to irrigate thousands of bighas of agricultural land, but today, overgrown jungles have overtaken its canals, blocking the flow of water to farmlands during the crucial cultivation period.

 

The project, which lies a mere four kilometers from the Executive Engineer's office of the Boko-Chhaygaon Division, was designed to supply water to paddy fields across a large stretch of fertile land in villages including Bakarapara, Raipara, Medhipara, Goptapothar, Shosankhaliya, Borghuli, Kotolgaon, and others.

 

"Instead of water, the canals are now filled with jungles," lamented Bhaben Rabha, a retired defence personnel and local farmer. "We've informed the department multiple times, but officials only offer excuses. Nothing has been done."

 

Rabha alleged that despite government expenditure running into crores of rupees—including salaries for irrigation staff—the Medhipara canals have remained choked for years, severely affecting the water supply during the sowing season.

 

Adding to the concerns, Dimbeeswar Das, a farmer from Belpara, noted that water from the river has failed to reach their fields due to the overgrowth of wild vegetation and blockage at the canal’s source. "The objective of the project has failed completely. Grass and trees have blocked the flow from the very beginning, rendering the irrigation useless."

 

The consequences of this inaction are not limited to agricultural hardship. Rabha further stated that during the rainy season, several low-lying villages like Bakarapara and Belpara routinely suffer flooding, as clogged canals redirect water back into residential areas. He cited a railway underpass on the Guwahati–Bongaigaon line that frequently floods due to poor water management, crippling transportation for villagers.

 

When approached for comment, Assistant Executive Engineer (AEE) Akikul Aman of the Boko-Chaygaon division admitted to operational challenges. "There is a severe manpower shortage. Only two staff monitor the project during the day and two at night. We have already escalated the issue to higher authorities," he said.

 

Meanwhile, affected farmers demand immediate desilting and cleaning of the canals, and greater accountability from irrigation officials. The growing discontent points to a widening gap between rural infrastructure planning and actual ground-level execution, leaving farmers struggling for one of their most essential needs water.