Borewell drilling machines, winding machine repair stalls make merry in Telangana

Due to lack of sufficient irrigation water and quality power supply, farmers in desperation to save their standing crops are hitting the borewell drilling agencies and winding machines repair stalls.

Hyderabad: The borewell drilling machines and agriculture pumpsets repair stalls that had almost gone into oblivion in the last few years in the State are now back in demand in many districts.

Due to lack of sufficient irrigation water and quality power supply, farmers in desperation to save their standing crops are hitting the borewell drilling agencies and winding machines repair stalls. Since last few days, these scenes are being witnessed in many villages across the State.

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Bicchaiah, a paddy farmer in Chintabai thanda of Jangaon, says borewell drilling agencies were charging Rs.110 to dig a feet. Farmers were forced to spend about Rs.40,000 for drilling one borewell.

The sad part is despite spending huge amounts, all the efforts put in by farmers are going in vain. “My brother drilled six borewells in his fields and not one was successful,” says Bicchaiah pointing to a failed borewell point.

Similarly, Shivashankar drilled six borewells, Narsimha drilled four, Lakshmi drilled six and so did a few other farmers in the last three months. All their efforts and money drained down deep into the pits as not a drop of water was pumped out. While farmers piled up losses, drilling agencies in Jangaon, Suryapet and neighbouring towns are making quick money.

Due to financial constraints, marginal farmers were paying an amount to their counterparts, who are blessed with borewells, to supply water. A farmer from Devaruppala, U Jannaiah, owns 1.5 acre and the borewell in his field dried up.

To save his crops from withering, Jannaiah paid Rs.2,000 to his neighbour to ensure water for wetting his paddy field. Apart from paying the amount, Jannaiah had to buy a water pipe to cover a distance of 60 feet from the borewell to his field. Such was the plight of many farmers in Kadavendi, Golapally, Manpahad and other villages.

If this was the situation in parts of Jangaon, Suryapet and Nalgonda, farmers in Ranga Reddy are lining up at pumpsets winding machines repair outlets.

Due to low voltage power supply, farmers complain that agriculture pumpsets were developing snags. While a few complain about bush and coil problems, others are fed up with the wiring issues. Many in Kandivanam, Mogalgidda, Devapally, Kishan Nagar and neighbouring villages are lining up at the repair stalls in Shadnagar.

For every single visit to the repair stall, they have to shell out Rs.2,000 as service charges, besides waiting for at least two to three days to get the pump set repaired.

“All these days, winding machine repair stalls were gathering dust. Ever since the low voltage issues surfaced, they have been minting money,” said Anjaneyulu, a dairy farmer.

This situation was not limited to one particular area in the State. Huzurabad MLA Padi Kaushik Reddy interacted with Srinivas, a winding shop owner at Veenavanka last fortnight.

He shared the video of his interaction with the motor mechanic on X. During the interaction, the mechanic informs that three motors were being repaired a day and Rs.3500 was being charged per motor. During BRS rule, there was hardly any work for us, the winding shop owner says to the Huzurabad MLA.