For this progressive farmer, lack of education is not a hindrance to coming up with innovative ideas. He has developed a cost-effective device to segregate three-phase and single-phase power in rural areas. The device, according to him, is easy to install and handle.
Sharanabasappa P. Patil, the farmer from Hal Sultanpur, has won the Krishi Pandit award for introducing innovations in agricultural practices. He was instrumental in bringing down the cost of installing solar-powered fence for farmlands by more than 50 per cent by using locally available material. He has also introduced the concept of tap irrigation for horticultural crops.
Mr. Patil told The Hindu here that the segregator, configured by him using locally available instruments, can be installed in transformers. The government, which spends crores of rupees to draw separate lines under the Nirantara Jyothi scheme, could save a lot of money and time by installing this segregator, he said.
Managing Director of Gulbarga Electricity Supply Company (Gescom) M. Mahadev said under the scheme, segregation of three-phase lines was taken up in 344 feeders in his jurisdiction at a cost of Rs. 440 crore. He told The Hindu that segregation taken up three years ago was completed in 160 feeders. The work was yet to begin in 40 feeders and it was in the advanced stage of completion in the remaining feeders.
When told about Mr. Patil’s device, , Mr. Mahadev said if the farmer came forward to share the technology and allow Gescom to test its efficacy, it could be used.
CostMr. Patil said the cost of the device for using in a 100-kV transformer would be around Rs. 20,000.
