“Innovation Overcomes Adversity: Rural Farmers in Telangana Highlight the Need for Infrastructure Support”
Vikarabad/ Telangana : September 17 2024 :- The proverb “Necessity is the mother of invention” rings true once again in Nag Samandar, a small village in Yelal Mandal, Tandur constituency of Vikarabad district, where local farmers have devised an ingenious solution to cross a river and reach their fields. In the face of adversity, these farmers have crafted makeshift boats from plastic drums and fashioned paddles using silver plates. While this scene might captivate onlookers, for the farmers, this risky endeavor is born out of sheer necessity.
Due to continuous heavy rains over the past week, the Shiva Sagar Project in Yelal Mandal has overflowed, causing excess water to flow through the Kakraveni River, which passes by Nag Samandar village. The farmers, who cultivate fields on the opposite side of the river, found themselves unable to cross the floodwaters. For several days, they attempted to wade through the waist-deep water, carrying their clothes and essentials on their heads, just to tend to their crops.
Faced with this challenge, the farmers ingeniously transformed plastic drums into functional boats, securing them with iron nuts and bolts and sealing the gaps to ensure water-tightness. To complete their invention, they crafted wooden paddles fitted with silver plates. Now, every day, these farmers cross the river in their makeshift boats to tend to their crops and return before dusk.
Seeing their success, other villagers followed suit, building similar boats. However, these vessels are small and only accommodate three people at a time, along with their agricultural tools and lunch. Since these boats are homemade and not professionally constructed, the farmers live in constant fear of accidents in the fast-flowing river.
The farmers are now calling for a permanent solution: the construction of a bridge over the Kakraveni River. They urge Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, whose Kodangal constituency is just 10 kilometers away, and Tandur MLA B. Manohar Reddy to address this pressing issue.
What these farmers have achieved can only be described as an act of innovation. Their courage and determination to find a solution in the face of adversity send a strong message: where there is will and resolve, even the most daunting challenges can be overcome.
Rather than waiting for weeks for the water level to recede or blaming the government, these farmers took matters into their own hands. Their resourcefulness stands as a testament to the talent and resilience found in even the most remote parts of Telangana.
While it’s undeniable that educational opportunities in rural areas may be lacking, the creativity and practical ingenuity of these farmers prove that Telangana has no shortage of talent. It is, however, imperative for the government to address these infrastructural gaps and provide much-needed support, particularly to those who refuse to be victims of circumstance.
