Farmers cry hoarse for justice amidst borewell seizures

Choutuppal(Yadadri- Bhongir): Troubling events unfolded in the Pedakonduru village here when authorities seized borewell of an award-winner woman farmer Vakita Rajitha Reddy. The seizure, according to the authorities, was undertaken under the WALTA Act after a single person filed a complaint against Vakita.

The dedicated farmer, who has won the ‘Best Woman Farmer’ award at the state level multiple times, has now found herself at the centre of the dispute over bore wells. Expressing frustration, she questioned the application of the Walta Act solely to her, emphasising the unfairness of seizing a bore well based on a single complaint.

Rajitha contends that implementing the Walta Act indiscriminately would result in the end of agricultural bores in the villages, leaving farmers with no means to cultivate crops. Despite the absence of evidence linking her borewell to any damage suffered by the complainant, Rajitha and her husband seek justice, asserting that the village elders corroborate their claims.

Sources inform that Rajitha and Rajender had taken four acres of land belonging to Rajasekhar Reddy on lease in addition to the four acres owned by the former. Farming was undertaken through natural methods without using any fertilisers, chemicals or pesticides. The bore they dug in the leased land got success and was full of water.

Adding to the complexity of the situation, Harikrishna, the Tehsildar, revealed that another farmer complained about the alleged violation of the Walta Act on the land leased by Vakita Rajitha. In that complaint, he stated that the borehole dug by Rajitha was close to his own borewell and that there should be a distance of 200 meters between the borewells according to the regulations. Efforts to reach a compromise through mediation went in vain and subsequently, the authorities seized the contested borewell, leading aggrieved farmers to seek resolution through the courts.

Meanwhile, Rajitha reopened the borewell after a brief seizure, prompting authorities to once again intervene. Sharing her plight and demanding justice, Rajitha said, “I don’t know why the Walta Act is being applied only to me? It is not proper to seize a bore on a complaint against a person. If the Walta Act is to be implemented, there will be no agricultural bores in the villages. There is no situation where farmers can cultivate crops. There is no damage to the complainant’s borewell by the bore well we have made. The village elders also confirmed this.”