Farmers in Karimnagar are facing additional losses after agricultural pump sets and transformers reportedly began burning amid low voltage and frequent power interruptions, disrupting irrigation for standing paddy crops during a period of water scarcity.
The problem has intensified over the past week, according to farmers and motor mechanics cited in the report. Farmers who rely on borewells and open wells to protect crops are now paying between ₹3,000 and ₹5,000 to repair damaged pump sets. Repairs cost about ₹3,000 when only the motor winding is affected, while damage to clutch plates and other components can raise the bill to ₹5,000.
Several motors and transformers became defunct recently in Cherlabuthkur village in Karimnagar rural mandal. D. Kumaraswamy, a farmer from the village, said his motor and another motor connected to the same transformer had burnt out, followed by the transformer. Kumaraswamy, who has cultivated paddy on 10 acres, said repeated interruptions had affected the supply of water to his crop.
He also said removing pump sets from wells for repairs required three to four people, adding to the practical and financial burden on farmers. The failure of a pump set can interrupt irrigation immediately because the equipment is often installed inside or close to wells and is essential for lifting groundwater to fields.
Farmers in other villages reported similar difficulties. M. Sampath of Chegurthi said the interruptions were responsible for motors burning. Although the government had stated that 12 hours of three-phase power was being supplied to the agriculture sector, he said farmers were receiving only six to seven hours in practice.
Sampath said the supply expected to begin at 5am often started only at 7am or 8am and ended at 5pm. He also reported several interruptions during the day, with no clear information on when electricity would be restored. Sampath has cultivated paddy on eight acres and had his pump set repaired a few days ago.
Motor mechanics said the equipment failures were creating a steady flow of repair work. Ch. Anand, a mechanic from Durshad, said he was repairing two to three motors every day. Farmers from surrounding villages were bringing their damaged motors to Karimnagar town because of its proximity, he said.
Another mechanic, B. Kanthaiah, identified low voltage as the main reason for the motors burning. He said the problem could go unnoticed because pump sets installed in water were difficult to hear. If operated continuously under low-voltage conditions, the motor could eventually burn out, he said.
Electricity department sources offered a different explanation, saying overload was the main cause. With inadequate rainfall, farmers were depending more heavily on groundwater and operating motors continuously to draw water, the sources said.
The reported failures come as Karimnagar faces water stress linked to deficit monsoon rainfall. The report attributed insufficient inflows into water bodies to the rainfall shortfall during an El Nino-affected season. Farmers have consequently increased their dependence on borewells and open wells to sustain crops, making the reliability of agricultural power supply central to irrigation access.
The immediate issues reported by farmers are the restoration of supply, the functioning of transformers and the repair or replacement of damaged pump sets. The report does not specify any announced timetable for repairs or details of compensation for farmers facing motor and transformer failures.
