farmers guarding the fields
KK Sharma, Jagran, Ghungchai (Puranpur). The cold that causes shivers in the bones, the dense fog where nothing can be seen within four steps, the silence in the village streets as the night progresses is dwarfed by the fear of destitute cattle grazing on the crops. While people are shivering in closed rooms in winter, farmers are forced to sit in the open on the ridges of the fields and guard the crops.
There is no sleep in the eyes of the farmer. Tired of being busy with other work throughout the day, farmers start guarding their crops as soon as night falls. They are forced to spend the night under the open sky in the harsh cold and wind. The flames burning in the fields are not only a means to ward off cold. Rather, it also presents a picture of the anxiety and helplessness burning within the farmer.
Under the open sky, farmers wrapped in torn blankets and old clothes sit near the bonfire. Being alert at every sound and spending every night in fear has now become the daily routine of the farmer. Dainik Jagran's team investigated on Sunday night. The helplessness of the farmers was seen. Dense fog and farmers spend the night in the fields guarding the crops.
Vikas is spending the night under a tree in Dilawarpur.
When the team came out of Deoria road, they heard some voices under a tree on the roadside. The time was 9:35 in the night. There was darkness everywhere. One was shivering due to dense fog and cold wave. Vikas, a resident of Dilawarpur village, was sitting covered in a blanket in the stubble lying on the roadside.
He had a torch in one hand. Ravindra and Vikas were passing time by looking at the phone. Rajiv was blinded in the cold night. When asked, he said that no one knows when a herd of helpless animals will enter the fields and ruin their months' hard work. We have to take turns guarding the crops by staying awake at night.
Heera Lal found gazing at the fields from the scaffolding in Jankapur
After this the team reached village Jankapur at 9:40 pm. Farmers Heera Lal and Sompal were sitting on the scaffold built in the field, covered with a quilt, gazing towards the fields. When asked, Hiralal told that he had planted four bighas of wheat crop. Three thousand rupees were spent in fencing. Even after this the crop is not safe. Both the people sit on the scaffold in the dark of night and guard the fields by blowing their horns one by one. Have to go to work in the morning.
Puttulal was found guarding the fields by burning stubble in Simaria.
It was 10:10 pm. Jagran's team reached the fields of Ajitpur village of Simaria taluka. Some lights of burning fire were seen towards the fields. On reaching nearby, 60 year old Puttulal was sitting near the fire along with his friend Balkaram, braving the cold night and burning stubble on the unpaved road.
Laxman was plowing the fields. As soon as the team arrived, the three farmers sat down with the help of fire. Said, the children have gone to Haryana to work as labourers. Destitute animals enter the fields even after fencing. Are worried.
Bhagwandas is guarding the crops with torch light in Lukhittai.
At 10:25 pm, torch light was seen in the fields of village Luktihai. When we reached nearby, village farmers Amit and Bhagwandas were standing in the wheat field with torches all around and driving the animals out of the field.
Farmers say that children sleep at home. But there is no sleep in father's eyes. Have to go out for work again in the morning. Still one has to spend the night in the fields. Farmers told that if even one night is missed then the hard work of the month can be lost.
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