Well turns perennial irrigation source

Pithapuram: He is a small farmer who is solely dependent on groundwater to irrigate his one acre land. P Sattibabu of FK Palem in Pithapuram mandal does not get water from the nearby canal as his land is above the level of irrigation source.

Lack of proper irrigation facility does not deter him from cultivating his small piece of land inherited from his father. He has been reaping a good harvest of vegetables season after season for the past four years by irrigating his land with water drawn from the well in the agricultural field.

Initially, he found it difficult to draw water from the well using ‘Yatham’ which is a rare practice in the area. Later, he got accustomed to it. At present, he is raising bottle gourd and cabbage through intercropping.

Sattibabu who is hopeful of a reaping good harvest like in the past, said: “I start watering the crop in the early hours of the day as I cannot afford to employ agricultural workers. The entire land gets wet by 8 am. The wastage is minimal in using groundwater for irrigation as it gets absorbed by the soil itself. I am solely dependent on the well water for all my irrigation needs, which is highly sufficient.”