A farmer in Tamil Nadu, Panneerselvam, killed himself amid the state's agrarian crisis.
In Tamil Nadu's Nagapattinam district, the tail-end of the state's delta region, New Year's Day was not a new beginning but the end for 47-year-old farmer Panneerselvam. He had taken two acres on lease and had a debt of Rs 35,000. The crop dried up and so did his hope. He hung himself to death.
The Tamil Nadu government has been served a notice by the National Human Rights Commission after reports that 106 farmers have died in the last one month due to distress caused by drought. Opposition leader MK Stalin, who has just taken over as DMK Working President, has demanded that the state be declared drought-hit.
It has been a triple whammy for farmers in the state: The northeast monsoon was short by 62 per cent, the ongoing Cauvery River dispute stretched on and the centre's move to scrap Rs 500 and 1,000 notes sent them scrambling for seeds and other materials.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister O Pannerselvam has also called it a drought-like situation and has promised compensation of up to Rs 25,000 after ministers and officials complete assess damage on the 13 lakh acres that was cultivated before the harvest festival of Pongal. The crisis has added bolstered the opposition. Many say this is the first major challenge for the Pannerselvam government facing its own intra-party crisis of sorts following Chief Minister and AIADMK party chief Jayalalithaa's death.
"It is the duty of the Tamil Nadu government, which follows Amma (as late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa was called by party cadres) to protect farmers in these despairing circumstances," he said, adding government would fulfil its duty.