Coronavirus lockdown: Farmer’s two teenaged daughters learn to drive tractor

Gondpipri (dist Chandrapur): The coronavirus pandemic continues to spread across the world; however, some are using the time rather productively. People are taking to many new things during the lockdown. Some have turned to reading while others are doing work, which they had never imagined they would ever do. 

Two daughters of a farmer from the district have acquired the skill of running a tractor on their farm.

Villagers from their vicinity are admiring the young women, who are helping their parents in their farms using their newly acquired skill.

The 21-day lockdown has forced people to stay at home. Prerna and Arpana are the two daughters of farmer Vinod Durge, who owns 2.5-acre farmland adjacent to his house at Kharalpeth in Gondpipri. He has bought a tractor for his farming needs. 

Durge doesn’t have much work during the lockdown, so he decided to teach how to run the tractor to his daughters. The young women were enthusiastic about their father’s idea and agreed to learn the vehicle.

First, his elder daughter Prerna learnt to run the farm vehicle. Then she taught her younger sister to drive the farm vehicle. They are not only good at studies but are also physically fit. They soon mastered the skill to use the tractor. 

“We decided to be on the wheel so that we can learn a new skill and help our parents in their farms,” said Prerna.

The family owns two farmlands, the one adjacent to their home and another two-acre land a couple of kilometres away. 

“We see daily how our parents toil under the sun on our farms. Shuttling between the two farms has become a tough task for our parents. So, we thought that it would lessen their burden if we learn to run the tractor,” said the sisters.

While some people are worried about killing time during the lengthy lockdown, these two sisters made better use of the time available to them. Now they are working in their cotton field using the vehicle.

“We were tired of sitting at home during the lockdown. When Baba (father) suggested that we could learn a new skill, we immediately agreed. I learnt it first and then taught my sister Aparna. We are happy to support our parents in the fields,” said Prerna.