Sandy shoals that emerged in the Teesta River during winter have become a blessing for many farmers in Lalmonirhat as they have successfully cultivated different kinds of vegetables there. The shoals(chars) are now full with green vegetables as farmers have cultivated pumpkin, peanut, wheat, maize, paddy, chilli, onion and other vegetables and are expecting good profit due to their good quality and high prices in market. Farmers said many shoals emerge in the river during dry season but in monsoon the river overflows its banks, causing extensive damages to crops. Both flood and erosion of riverbanks have made the lives of char residents difficult, they said. When the flood water recedes and shoals emerge in the river, local farmers cultivate vegetables on the fertile and sandy lands to earn livelihood. Many farmers have cultivated peanuts, cucumber and watermelon but most of the farmers preferred pumpkins due to low production cost and bumper production. Farmers dig holes on the char and fill it with fertile soil collected from other places. Later they mix compost and sow seeds of the pumpkin. When the plants grow up, the farmers nurture their plants through irrigation. A total of 8-10 pumpkins were found from each plant, each weighing 3-4 kg. Also read: Teesta banks erosion: Over 250 houses in Kurigram washed away in 3 days