Our education system provides us with all sorts of knowledge – right from environmental education to rocket science. But seldom does it encourages us to make a change. Everyone is so busy making money that they don’t have the time or even mindset to contribute to a better cause.
This makes it clear that the books have nothing to do with choosing the better path.
And this is exactly where Mahur Tipiria, a farmer of Badamtalia village under Sukruli block in Mayurbhanj, Odisha comes into the picture.
The 35-year-old has recently built an irrigation waterwheel using just bamboo, plastic bottles, and iron rods.
The structure’s wheel has 40 blades, each of which has a water bottle attached to it. As the wheel rotates with the help of the stream’s flow, the bottles get filled with water. Once the bottles reach the top, the water is discharged into the bamboo pipe that carries it to his farmland.
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The 10-ft high waterwheel is installed on the banks of the Kantakhairi River. It is placed strategically in a way where the water level is higher. And for the irrigation wheel to continue moving, no external source is required.
It took Mahur a month to build it and now he can irrigate his entire 3-acre land without any power supply. He has even started growing mustard, wheat, and vegetables in his land which is situated 300m away from the wheel.
Tiripia studied only till Class 2 yet his knowledge of the watering technique is commendable. But he only did what he did to find a cheap and sustainable method for his farm.
“My land remained unused post Kharif harvest and lack of irrigation facility did not help. I decided to find ways to prepare the land for rabi crops but could not afford an electric motor. All this prompted me to devise a method and then the idea struck,” Mahur said to ANI.
#WATCH | Odisha: Farmer in Mayurbhanj sets up waterwheel instrument near river to irrigate his farmland situated 2-km away. “I’m a poor man. I repeatedly urged officers to make arrangements for irrigation but to no avail. Finally, I made this,” said Mahur Tipiria (09.01) pic.twitter.com/STFzxzuuKT
— ANI (@ANI) January 10, 2021
Prior to farming, Mahur tried his hand in being a migrant laborer which proved to be futile. That’s when he decided to stay home and make his own land fertile.
The farmer is due to be felicitated at the Horticulture office on Republic Day by Karanjia Sub-Collector Rajanikanta Biswal.