Raman Kharpade (34,pictured) a farmer using his skills learnt from the Industrial Training Institute (ITI), Vangaon, converted an old rusted, defunct M-80 bike - famously used by dairy farmers in mofussil areas- into a tiller, and is using it for sowing purpose, as the agricultural season for paddy is in full swing in his village, Kavada in Talasari, Palghar district.
The M-80 bike, made famous by Bajaj Auto (now out of production), was popular in the late '80s-"90s and was famously used by dairy farmers to transport milk in rural hamlets and was popularly also known as the milkman's bike. The bike belonging to his friend Ratna Urade (37) was lying in rust for the past few years and was unused which made Raman to innovate.
Said Raman, I convinced Ratna to part with his bike and he was at first hesitant, and later agreed to part with the bike. I decided to innovate as I have passed my Welder course from the ITI, Vangaon years ago, said Raman. First, I disassembled all the parts and took it to a road side mechanic to clean the engine and treated with anti-rust coating including the fuel tank,said Raman and after it arrived from the mechanic, I started to work.
I removed both the wheels and on the front wheel I fitted the tiller and mounted it with the engine while the petrol tank was fitted near the steering wheel, and also fitted a small barrow wheel at the rear, with the chain for mobility, for maintaining the balance while tilling,said Raman and within a week, my tiller was ready and in mid-June, after the first splash,I took the first trial, in 3-acre field,on which I grow paddy to sustain my family for the entire year.. I can even change the gears at my liberty, and all is controlled from the steering wheel, just like a bike, but as the soil is clumpy, I have to push the bike in the fourth gear for speeding up the tilling process, said Raman.
As the agricultural season is in full swing, many farmers hire tractors to till their land for sowing purpose and the current rate is Rs 500 per hour which I cannot afford, and also there are few people who rent the tractors and there is always a waiting line to use the tractors,and so to save money and time, I decided to innovate and used an old M-80 bike and it is a success ,said a beaming Raman.
Meantime, word spread in the village and farmers are visiting Raman's farm and he happily gave his tiller for trial, and so much so, the Agricultural department in Dahanu are to visit the village to get a first hand information about the innovate tiller made by Raman.
There are plans to display the improvised tiller at the district agricultural exhibition and he will be approaching the Agricultural department for permission, as it is the first such tiller made from an old, rusted M-80 bike which would save time and cost for the common farmer who cannot afford to hire tractors at hourly basis.
