Date: 22-05-18
Today was a fine day ,we started our journey to Ran of Katch..We met with the farmer family whose well were dug on high water table. So we found that the well was dug max 5 ft. and the boring done was similar to the informed measurement of 30 ft.
We interacted with the farmer to solve our curiosity regarding any kind of gas release in this situation of small well but we were happy to know that he doesn’t face such horrifying conditions of gas release.
He thoroughly explained us the entire process of the farming right from digging to the shipment of the salt to the factory. He told that his underground water has a minimal salt concentration of 10% so he has to perform the evaporation process for concentrating the water above 25% several times compared to the farmers who are having comparatively richer concentration of brine water. This 25% concentration quantity was informed to us by the farmer himself for the initial nucleation of the salt crystals, he even showed us the pre and post salt condition of farming. In the pre-condition huge crack have been observed which is thoroughly moistened with water and furrowed and ploughed using tractor and then filled with brine water for post conditions. He also mentioned that he ploughs the brine field land with his leg to provide the bed for salt formation which also hampers his feet condition. Though the boots have been provided by the government but it hurts his legs causing sores. The female farmers tug there saree’s in the boots but it only worsen the conditions.
After this interrogation regarding the power supply was done in which we got to know about two sources. The first source used during day time is solar powered silicon panels having the capacity of 300 WP and such 9 panels /equivalent to 2700 WP are used. The farmer mentioned that approximately 1 HP is required for each well thereby satisfying his requirements of 3 wells by solar power successfully. A tank of fresh water is provided monthly by the government for cleaning of solar panels.
During the night time the motor is powered by DC generator having the tank capacity of 7L and power capacity of approximately 3.5 HP
The team even visited their jute sack made hut in the deserted land to know about their livelihood during their course of occupation which last for 8 months. We found that the wall made of sack is not capable enough to prevent heat transmission to take place inside the house from outside. The kitchen condition too was not good; lacking facilities like chimneys for smoke escape and lack of ‘Chula’ for proper cooking mechanism.