After getting our bore drilled, we proceeded to get electricity connection. This was another messy process. To get a 3-phase connection so we can run our pump, we need to apply for electricity connection. Since there is no transformer near by, they cannot give us the connection directly. It seems unless there are at least 2 connection requests from a location, the electricity department will not setup a new transformer. The alternative is for us to bear all the costs of setting a new transformer and the cost of all the poles and wiring up to the transformer. The cost comes to around Rs. 2-3 lakhs.


We were not prepared to pay so much for an electricity connection. The neighbor farmer has a pump, but he got an electric line from a far off transformer. It is sort of illegal, but in the village no one cares :). There will be a huge drop in voltage because of the length of the wire but he did not seem to care. His pump seems to be working so why would he? Moreover, it puts undue load on the transformer making it run beyond its designed limits and thus reducing the lifespan and causing frequent breakdowns. We pleaded with him to apply for electric connection so we both can share a transformer and the electricity department will setup proper poles and wiring and will help when there is power disruption. But he was not prepared to pay the Rs. 30K or so for the application form.


Anyway we decided to apply for the electric connection paying the fees + bribes to an agent who did the application forms for us. However, we will not get a transformer or electricity connection until another near by farmer also applies for a connection. So currently our application is still pending. Even after a 2nd application is received, we will not get the transformer immediately. Apparently, the electricity department will do a cost analysis for the transformer, poles and conductors cost. Then the application will go to higher up the ladder and some one has to approve the bill.


It seems since the elections concluded recently, a lot of people have been moving in the department and no one is ready to process any applications until their final assignments are done. Once that happens, they have to wait for funds to be released to the department before approving any bills. Funds release is also tied to elections and has to wait until the newly formed government has settled down. So a minimum of 6 months of waiting period. On top of that, if and when the funds are released, the applications will be processed based on seniority (how long ago the application was submitted). That can take another 6-12 months!


So while we have a bore and we are ready to do some irrigation work, we will not have electricity for another 1 year at the very least. At this point we were wondering if we should go with solar panels and solar pump instead of 3 phase AC pump. The cost of solar panels is coming to Rs. 2-3 lakhs. For that much cost we could get the transformer from the electricity department. We were torn between which way to go. On the one hand, a solar panel means full independence from electricity departments – a self sufficient route. On the other hand, the solar pumps are not only quite expensive but repairing them is expensive too.


Moreover, if the pump fails, a local pump repair person cannot come and repair it, because the technology is different. It is not like they can open the pump, change the windings and put is back. When the pump fails, it will have to be sent to the manufacturer or a technician from the company will have to visit. This will not only be expensive but time consuming and we are not sure if the crop will survive the delay in repairs. Another problem is of theft. We are not very sure if someone will steal the solar panels. Since we will not be living in the farm, we have no control on what happens there. Remember, we don’t have a fence and have not planned on setting up a fence yet.


Alternatively, we may have to build a small house there and get some local to live in it to take care of the farm. Since we don’t have any plantation yet, building a house and paying for a local just to watch the solar panels seemed like an expensive deal. After much back and forth and calling a lot of solar panel, DC pumps, AC pumps folks and talking to various farmers, we decided to wait for the electricity connection to come. Whenever that happens, we can start our farming.