Farmers unite to replenish irrigation tank, save crops in Kammarigudem
In recent months, groundwater levels in Kammarigudem plummeted drastically, leading to the drying of agricultural pump sets. The depletion was further aggravated by the drying up of the local irrigation tank, which spans 18 acres. Faced with the imminent threat of crop failure, the farmers decided to act on their own
Nalgonda: Farmers in Kammarigudem saved their paddy crops by collectively funding and installing a high-powered pump to draw water from a nearby flood canal into the village’s irrigation tank. Their effort and self-reliance has inspired neighbouring communities.
In recent months, groundwater levels in Kammarigudem plummeted drastically, leading to the drying of agricultural pump sets. The depletion was further aggravated by the drying up of the local irrigation tank, which spans 18 acres. Faced with the imminent threat of crop failure, the farmers decided to act on their own.
Pooling together a voluntary contribution of around ₹5 lakh, they purchased a 20 HP pump set. Over one and a half months, they systematically pumped water from the flood canal into the irrigation tank. Once refilled, the tank significantly boosted the groundwater table within a 1.5-kilometer radius. As a result, over 3,000 acres of paddy fields in Kummarigudem, Govindannagudem, and Thummalagudem — all reliant on borewell irrigation — were saved from withering. This success not only ensured a bountiful harvest but also bolstered the farmers’ confidence in their collective strength.
“The increased groundwater level has helped us avoid a drinking water shortage,” said farmer Mallikanti Raju, noting that it also prevented the distress sale of cattle during summer. “My two acres of farmland were on the brink of drying up, but now they’re thriving.”
Another farmer, Devireddy Saidi Reddy, praised the spirit of volunteerism and cooperation: “We didn’t wait for government assistance. When a young farmer suggested the idea, we all contributed money and made it happen.”
