Farmer Suicides - surviving family members being forced to become labourers

While re-visiting the farmer suicide affected families in Bargarh Dist a very disturbing phenomena has come to notice...

The family members are now being forced to become laborers who otherwise before the death of the family head, never stepped out of the house.

In a very sad incident in Jatla village of Sohela block, the 80 year old man who should rather be resting at home peacefully were found to be working with his unmarried daughter, and one son to help the family.

Last year his wife had committed suicide due to loan trap, and successive failure of crop due to erratic rain. 

It was noted that many Micro Finance companies - SKS, SPANDANA, ASMITA, have been working in this district.

Recently while visiting a village named Bhatbida in Sohela Block, it was found that L&T MF representatives were 

threatening the burrowers at the dark evening hours at about 8pm, there was a self claimed advocate with them, who 

was telling the burrowers that he will send them to jail on not returningthe money the same day.

Besides that, in a recent case of farmer suicide in Belbahali village on NH6, adjacent to an Engineering college 

committed suicide, whose family members were given promise of the Redcross help fund of Rs. 10,000/- of 

which Rs.5000/- was given by the Revenue Inspector the same day, but remaining Rs.5000/- that was promised 

to be given by cheque after reporting has not yet been given - after 20 days of the incident. 

The amount should have been released to the family within 2 days of the incident. Later upon asking the RI and Addl. Tehsildar of the area

washed off their hands saying that they have forwarded the reports to the Collector office, which has taken no action to help these families in any way till date.

The govt. schemes, false promises and its lethargic non-performing apathetic bureaucrats always running

after black money, and the common man is always suffering out of this. 

When 20 years back there was a farmer suicide in then undivided Sambalpur dist. the DM was suspended. 

But due to the faulty policies and its corrupt administration, 10s of farmers are committing suicide in the dist, and still the DM does not seem to be worried at all.

The video of the working old man in his field s being uploaded on video sharing networks for information at http://youtu.be/bzruAXkLKZE

Its a matter of Shame for the indifferent administration, which has stopped paddy procurement in the area to add up to the farmers doom.

Though the area has recieved very much less rain and there is a draught, due to erratic reporting by the Revenue Inspectors, 

this area (Sohela & Padampur) has not been declared draught affected and Insurance Companies are making good business out of this.

At the same time, few people who have made Farmers Identity Cards are selling their produce, which they survived because of deep bore 

water irrigation in their own fields, is adding upto the problem of the faulty policy. 

The number of farmers and peasants waiting to commit suicide can not be estimated, and the season of suicide has started just now ! 

Its due to the failure of the Govt. in providing proper irrigation facility to the farmers and creating distress in the procurement phase, 

which is helping rice mill owners hand in hand with the Civil Supplies Office and officials involved.

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Regards,Amitabh
M: +91-8763324299

Whosoever could make two ears of corn or two blades of grass to grow upon a spot of ground where only one grew before, would deserve better of mankind, and do more essential service to his country, than the whole race of politicians put together. - Jonathan Swift

One Man with courage is a Majority. - Andrew Jackson