Chitradurga: A friend in need is friend indeed. This old adage has been proven right by this farmer from Hanagulla village in Molakalmur taluk of Chitradurga.
M Srinivas is a progressive farmer, who has been able to live a comfortable life due to the advanced farming techniques adapted by him. However, on realising that not all farmers are as fortunate as he is, he decided to be that ‘friend’ in need.
Over the last five years, Srinivas has been offering free ploughing service using his own tractor in the drought-hit villages of the district. Every day he ploughs over 100 acres of paddy fields of the local farmers, spending lakhs of rupees from his pocket towards diesel and other expenses. He is out doing this work for over 10 hours a day.
According to Srinivas, as the village is facing severe drought farmers are not in a position to plough the land and keep it ready for sowing. “Rain may arrive at any time. I am doing this to make sure that the farming activities of the farmers start on time,” he said.
According to the local grama panchayat member Siddesh Gowda, Srinivas is offering this free service since last five years. “He is known for his philanthropic activities. He offers financial support for the needy, besides providing free drinking water using the tankers,” he said.
Srinivas says that he could have been one among the farmers who are reeling under drought, provided he too had dusted off the modern farming ideas. With water conservation methods in place, Srinivas has never felt the heat of the drought.
