Janakpur. Farmers at Gaushala in Mahottari district have been facing problem after their transformer installed for irrigation was stolen. Farmers have been deprived of irrigation facilities due to the theft of transformers during the crucial time of planting.

Dhan Bahadur Samal Magar, a farmer of Gaushala Municipality-1, said that the Centre for Mechanization Promotion of Agriculture had installed a transformer in 2079 BS for the operation of deep boring. The transformer was used to irrigate around 15-16 bighas of land through deep boring.

He said that there was a problem of irrigation during the paddy crop season after the transformer was stolen. “We have already informed the local police administration about the theft of transformer on April 13, 2082. “But the stolen transformer has not been found yet, nor has the new one been installed,” he said. ’

According to him, although the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has been requested time and again to provide transformers, the arrangement has not been made yet. This has forced farmers to look for alternative irrigation options. Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) Madhes Province Chief Shambhu Kusiyat has said that the incidents of transformer theft have been increasing in various districts of Madhes province of late.

According to him, 105 transformers were stolen from various districts of Madhes province in the last five years. According to him, the highest number of transformers of 25 were stolen from Mahottari district.

Kusiyat said that the details of the stolen transformers have been collected and the Madhes Province Police Office has been informed for necessary investigation.

According to Chief Kusiyait, the gang involved in stealing transformers has become active as the copper coil wire inside the transformer is sold at a high price in the market. Stating that the incident of transformer theft has a direct impact on agriculture, the farmers have demanded the concerned body to arrest the culprits at the earliest and install new transformers.