Hans news service Kodad (Suryapet)

Ina major initiative to safeguard lift irrigation projects, the Suryapet district police launched a coordinated effort to improve the security and maintenance of irrigation infrastructure while preventing the theft of transformers, motors, wires, and other equipment.

An awareness seminar was organized on Thursday under the leadership of the Huzurnagar Police, bringing together farmers, officials from the irrigation, electricity, and agriculture departments from Huzurnagar and Kodad constituencies.

District Collector Tejas Nandalal Pawar, SP Narasimha, and Kodad MLA Uttam Padmavathi Reddy attended the programme as chief guests. Addressing the gathering, the Collector said that thefts at government-funded lift irrigation schemes ultimately inflict heavy losses on farmers. He noted that although the police have tracked down offenders and recovered stolen property, including from other States, preventing such crimes before they occur is the real priority. He urged farmers to form cooperative societies and monitoring committees for every lift irrigation project and ensure continuous surveillance. The Collector also recommended installing CCTV cameras at all lift irrigation sites and assured farmers that he would bring the proposal for forming farmer committees to the attention of the state government and the Irrigation Minister. The SP observed that thieves usually target lift irrigation schemes in remote areas, stealing transformers, electrical wires, oil, and other equipment. The police department, he said, will intensify patrolling around lift irrigation projects and maintain point books at every site to monitor security. Meanwhile, MLA Padmavathi urged farmers to treat lift irrigation schemes as their own property and protect them from theft and damage.