Wed Mar 19 01:50:00 UTC 2025: ## Farmers in Despair as Transformer Thefts Compound Water Crisis in Disha, Bachannapeta
**Disha, Bachannapeta:** Farmers in the Disha and Bachannapeta mandals are facing a deepening crisis, with recent transformer thefts exacerbating an already severe water shortage. The theft of copper wire from two transformers in the past 15 days has left farmers struggling to irrigate their parched fields, which are already suffering from depleted groundwater levels.
The latest incident occurred on Tuesday night near Chinaramacherla village, where unidentified thieves broke into a 25 KV transformer belonging to farmer Purma Srinivas Reddy and stole the copper wiring. The farmer reported finding empty liquor bottles at the scene, suggesting the thieves were intoxicated. A similar incident occurred 15 days prior, affecting four transformers in the same village.
The repeated thefts have left residents in fear, unable to sleep soundly at night. Police have registered a case and launched an investigation, but the string of thefts presents a significant challenge to law enforcement. The ongoing water crisis, coupled with the disruption to electricity supply, has pushed farmers into a desperate situation. Authorities are urged to swiftly apprehend the culprits and restore the damaged infrastructure.
First Piper 