Seven farmers from Maharashtra's Wardha district have written to the state government seeking permission to kill themselves
Seven farmers from Maharashtra's Wardha district have written to the state government seeking permission to kill themselves. Deficient rainfall and hailstorms earlier this year had destroyed their crops, and they have not been given the promised compensation by the government since January this year.
45-year-old farmer Kishore Ingole has loans worth Rs 4.5 lakh to repay, his standing crop is destroyed. Suicide, for him is the only way out of the debt trap.
Mr Ingole said, "For the losses I suffered last year... I have not received any money. We visited the tehsil office many times but nothing happened. That's why we have sought permission to kill ourselves."
Another farmer, Kundabai Lonkar said "We had sown soybean but everything was damaged and we did not get a single penny. Now there is no sign of rain but we have to repay loans." The local administration has now released Rs 6700 as compensation for him, an amount too meagre to pay off his debts.
Marathwada and Madhya Maharashtra regions have been the worst hit, with rainfall reduced by 44% and 30% compared to last year. So far 23 cases of farmer suicides have been reported in the Vidarbha region.
The President of the Sangharsh Kruti Samiti in Marathwada, Jayajirao Suryawanshi said, "When it rained on June 07, the farmers took loan and sowed... it has been nearly 40-50 days since then, there has been no rain. The farmers are thus losing their patience and the number of farmers committing suicide is increasing."
The ruling BJP's alliance partner, the Shiv Sena has joined the opposition in demanding a crop loan waiver for the farmers.
Opposition leader, Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil told NDTV, "In the backdrop of the severe drought situation... there is no option left but to announce a loan waiver scheme immediately. The government is not serious about this issue"
According to sources, the government is likely to announce a financial package of Rs 5,000-6,000 crore soon.