Bihar man carves out 3-km long canal.(Credit: ANI)

Remember the story of Dashrath Manjhi from Bihar who worked for 22 years to carve out a path in the hills after his wife died falling off the mountain? In a similar story, a man from Gaya has dug a canal to carry water from the hills to the village for irrigation purposes.

Working for the past 30 years, Laungi Bhuiyan has single-handedly carved out a 3-km long canal to take rainwater coming down from nearby hills to fields of his village, Kothilawa in Lahthua area of Gaya in Bihar, reports ANI.

"For the last 30 years, I would go to the nearby jungle to tend my cattle and dig out the canal. No one joined me in this endeavour. Villagers are going to cities to earn a livelihood but I decided to stay back," he said.

ANI took to Twitter to share the photos of Bhuiyan in his endeavour.

Bihar: A man has carved out a 3-km-long canal to take rainwater coming down from nearby hills to fields of his village, Kothilawa in Lahthua area of Gaya. Laungi Bhuiyan says, "It took me 30 years to dig this canal which takes the water to a pond in the village." (12.09.2020) pic.twitter.com/gFKffXOd8Y

— ANI (@ANI) September 12, 2020

During the rainy season, the water falling from the mountains used to flow into the river which used to bother Bhuiyan, following which he thought of carving out a canal.

Locals and residents there have admitted to how Bhuiyan's years-long toiling will benefit large number of animals and people, who will be benefiting from the water during the rainy season.

The major occupation for people in Gaya is farming and animal husbandary.

Surrounded by dense forest and mountains, Kothiwala village that lies about 80km away from Gaya district headquarter, is marked as a refuge for Maoists.

"He has been carving out the canal for the last 30 years that too single-handedly. This will benefit a large number of animals and to irrigate the fields as well. He is not doing it for his own benefit but for the entire area," said Patti Manjhi, a local.

( with inputs from ANI )