Fact Check: Viral image of borewell on top of hillock is not recent

This image has gone viral on all social media platforms.

Fact Check:

The claim that the viral image is recent is FALSE.

When NewsMeter searched for the image using Google reverse image search, we found that the viral image has been online for several years. The viral image was used in several memes across the world. We found a video published in September 2018 which was a compilation of various images. The viral image is a part of them.

We also found some Twitter accounts that shared this viral image in September 2018 with the text "खनन माफ़ीया ने प्यासों के पानी पीने को हैण्डपम्प तो छोड़ दिया, मगर यह नहीं सोचा कि प्यासे वहाँ पहुँचेंगे कैसे।" On translation, it states that "The mining mafia had left the hand pump so that the thirsty can drink but did not think about how the thirsty would reach there."

This image was shared with the narrative, "బాబు గారి ప్రభుత్వం లో దోపిడీ కి ఇంతకంటే నిదర్శనం కావాలా మట్టి నుండి రాజధాని వరకు దోపిడీ దోపిడీ ఇదే బాబు గారి పాలన..." On translation, it states, "Do we want more evidence of exploitation in Chandrababu Naidu's government, exploitation from the soil to the capital..."

The image has been used in several articles.

https://m.dailyhunt.in/news/nepal/hindi/news+n+more-epaper-dailyje/kisi+ne+sach+hi+kaha+hai+duniya+me+namuno+ki+kami+nahi+hai+dekhe+aise+hi+namuno+ki+kuch+majedar+tasvire-newsid-n162945034

This claim has been debunked by the Fact Check initiative of the Andhra Pradesh Government. Their report states that, "While the origin of the photo is unknown, a simple Google reverse image search would give out details on the usage of this photo and how it has been used since 2018 for numerous jokes."

https://factcheck.ap.gov.in/misleading-old-image-from-internet-humor-used-to-defame-the-govt-of-ap/

Hence, the claim that the viral image of the hand pump on top of a hillock is recent is FALSE.