Ansumwi Narzary

In the northern part of Nagrijuli, where rivers often disappear into porous soils similar to the Bhabar region of North-East India, the Dong system helps address both monsoon flooding and winter water scarcity. Villages such as Goibari, Hastinapur, Mahendranagar, Bagarukhuti and Dongargaon depend heavily on these canals during dry seasons. Agriculture is the backbone of rural livelihoods in the BTR (Bodoland Territorial Region).

With 67 hectares of cultivable land, Baltipar’s agriculture relied entirely on rainfall. Paddy was the only crop grown during the Kharif season, and even that was uncertain in years of scanty rain. The absence of irrigation trapped farmers in poverty and forced many into seasonal migration. Although the Balti river and small natural channels flowed nearby, there was no system to store or channel the water. Village ponds too lay underused.