NAOGAON, Apr 28: Patkua wells with solar panel lids are providing irrigation facilities to the vegetable growers in drought-prone Sapahar upazila hinder the district.
Sources said the Barind Multipurpose Development Authority (BMDA) developed the Patkua model that enables irrigation without using underground water.
Assistant engineer of BMDA, Sapahar, Rezaul Karim said several wells have been dug in the upazila under a project of the Ministry of Agriculture using BMDA technology.
Each of the well is 140 feet deep. The wells are constructed with easy access of rainwater through their sloping lids. A total of 16 solar panels are set up with the lids of a well to provide energy to a motor for lifting water from the well.
Apart from irrigation uses, farmers can also collect the water for drinking and other household purposes, he added.
Mr. Rezaul Karim further said this alternative irrigation facility, named as 'patkua', is being expanded in the upazila with increasing demand from the mainstream farmers.
