Posts filed under ‘Farmer Suicide’
Farmers facing problem in Nuapada district
This report is from The Dharitri. Read the complete report here.
Farmers in Sambalpur stage demo with paddy-laden vehicles
Following is a report from the expressbuzz.com:
Paddy-laden vehicles lined up outside the residence of Sambalpur District Collector protesting delay in paddy procurement on Tuesday (This photo is also taken from expressbuzz.com).
Peeved about the failure of the Sambalpur and Bargarh district administrations and the Food and Civil Supplies Department in protecting their interests, hundreds of farmers today staged a demonstration in front of the residence of Sambalpur District Collector PK Pattnaik with paddy-laden vehicles.
The farmers resorted to the agitation after Sambalpur Sub-Collector Bibhuti Bhusan Behera allegedly failed to fulfil the assurances, regarding paddy procurement, that he had made yesterday.
Yesterday, farmers blocked NH-6 at Sindurpank in Sambalpur district and Debahal in Bargarh district for hours protesting failure of the district administrations and the department to initiate measures for smooth paddy procurement. The blockade was lifted after Behera promised that all paddy brought to the yards would be weighed immediately. The Food and Civil Supplies Department, however, insisted on weighing it in the presence of millers resulting in procurement delay.
Moreover, assigning market yards to individual procurement agencies rather than allowing all agencies, has also added to the delay in procurement which in turn increased their loan burden, a farmer alleged.
In Bargarh district, farmers under the banner of Orissa Rajya Krushak Sangathan dumped paddy bags on NH-6 blocking it, protesting distress sale. The blockade paralysed the busy Kolkata-Mumbai route leaving the heavy vehicles stranded for five hours.
The farmers also protested non-payment for gunny bags and transportation charges, circulation of fake farmer identity cards and lack of steps to stop middlemen in paddy transactions.
The blockade was lifted around 7.30 pm after Bargarh District Collector Suresh Prasad Padhy and Bargarh SP S Thankapaan invited the farmers for talks to resolve the issue.
On Sunday too with the intervention of the district administration as many as 45,000 bags of paddy were lifted from Attabira, Godbhaga, Kalapani, Larambha and Thuapali market yards which continued till late night.
Admitting procedural delay, Padhy said that they were ensuring that the farmers got minimum support price. He said the farmers should bear with the delay and understand that it was in their interest.
Moreover, with huge quantity of paddy arriving at market yards it is difficult to handle it at one go, he said.
Farmer ends life Sundergarh
Read the complete report from The Dharitri.
Prime minister concern about farmer suicides in Odisha; state govt. yet to submit report
Following is a report from The Sambad:
Farmer suicides rock Odisha Assembly: opposition demands obituary reference
Folloiwng is a report from The Pioneer:
The issue of farmer suicides rocked the State Assembly for the second day on Thursday. Demanding that an obituary reference be made in the Assembly on the deceased farmers, the Opposition created a ruckus throughout the day. However, the Government was not in a mood to make oblige. “The farmers’ community will not forgive us if we fail to make an obituary reference to the deceased farmers,” cried Leader of Opposition Bhupinder Singh.
As soon as the House assembled, Singh tried to raise the issue. However, without allowing him, Speaker Pradip Amat continued with the business proceedings. Protesting the action, opposition members stormed into the well of the House and demanded the Speaker to take up farmers’ case for discussion. The House was adjourned for about one hour just after three minutes.
As the House resumed again at 11.30 am, the Congress members trooped into the floor of the House and demanded that an obituary reference be made. Congress member Santosh Singh Saulja also demanded that an obituary motion should be tabled for farmers. “If we don’t observe one-minute silence for the deceased farmers, people will not forgive us,” said Saluja.
BJP member Jayanarayan Mishra said incidents of farmer suicides are continuing unabated. “About 95 per cent people depend on agriculture. So a condolence motion should be moved,” Mishra opined. Other members also supported the demand of these two members.
“There is nothing wrong in paying homage to farmers. Traditions have already been violated. Never in the history of Odisha, on an important day when a budget was going to be presented, the House was adjourned for the death of an ex-Governor. Many things have been violated. Why the legislators would not set trend by moving a motion for the farmers who fed the country,” said Congress Chief Whip Prasad Harichandan.
BJP legislature party leader KV Singh Deo said all should come forward to pay their homage to the deceased farmers. “There is nothing wrong in setting a new tradition for the overall welfare of the society,” said Deo.
However, Treasury bench members were not in a mood to subscribe to the theories of the Opposition. BJD member Pradip Maharathi opposed move. “Law should be examined as it was a case of suicide,” he said. “We are prepared to discuss farmer deaths. But it should come in the form of an adjournment motion,” said Steel and Mines and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Raghunath Mohanty.
“As there was no tradition to make an obituary reference for the farmers who had committed suicide, the Chair rejected the Opposition’s demand,” announced Amat. As soon as the announcement, members stormed into the floor of the House. Few of them also tried to enter the podium of the Speaker and the Speaker had to adjourn the House for five times.
Odisha Government constitutes a state commission for farmers
Following is a report from Tathya.in:
The Odisha Government has constituted a State Commission for Farmers (SCF). Acting upon the proposal of Damodar Rout, Minister Agriculture, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has appointed a 4-Member Commission. S M Patnaik, former Chief Secretary will head the Commission. Other Members are Niranjan Panda, Soil Scientist, Sudhakar Panda, Economist and D P Ray, VC OUAT.Dr.Ray will be Member Convenor of the Commission.
Dr.Rout gave the proposal saying as 70 per cent of the population depends on the agriculture; improvement of the sectors will boost economy of the state. And the agriculture in the state characterisized as low productivity due to various factors.
So to boost the productivity and production in the field, Government has announced Policy framework, which needs to be implemented properly. Accordingly a practical strategy is needed said Dr.Rout.
Dr.Rout said that the State Commission for Farmers is needed, which will look into the various issues and involvement of the stake holders to work out a practical strategy.
Though there is a National Commission for Agriculture headed by Dr. M S Swaminathan, state needs a Commission as it has different agro-climatic zones, various cropping patterns and various other issues.
Agreeing on the above proposal not only the Chief Minister appoiunted the Commission but also asked the Commission to co-opt any other experts to help them out.
Dr.Rout is now fine-tuning the Terms of Reference (TOR) and in search of top notch experts in the field to go into depth of the malaise that has hit the state badly. At least 24 farmers have committed suicide and the State Government is drawing flak both inside and outside the Odisha Legislative Assembly (OLA).
- Similar thing is reported in The Pioneer : Farmers’ panel formed after 30 suicides
Farmer suicide in Kalahandi district of Western Odisha
Following report is from The Dharitri:
Farmer suicide in Kuchinda, Bhatli and Sohela of Western Odisha
Following news is from The Dharitri:
Three farmers allegedly committed suicide after consuming pesticide in western Orissa on Friday.Two died in Jada and Panimora villages of Bargarh district and one in Kudapara village in Sambalpur district. The BJP has demanded compensation for the families of the deceased.
“The state government is responsible for these incidents as it is yet to come to the aid of farmers,” BJP state president Suresh Pujari said. On Saturday, party members staged a dharna’ in front of the Sambalpur sub-collector’s house and handed over a memorandum demanding compensation of Rs 10 lakh for each family.
The Bargarh collector has assured administration’s help to rehabilitate the families. “I had gone to Jada to console the bereaved family. It is too early to comment on the deaths as the medical report is awaited. But we have decided to rehabilitate the family through various government schemes,” collector (Bargarh) Suresh Prasad Padhi said.
“We have sanctioned Rs 10,000 from the Red Cross fund for his last rites and his wife will get widow pension. We will also try to appoint her as helper at the anganwadi centre,” Padhi said.
Sukanta Alias Durlav Bagarti (42), the debt-ridden farmer of Jada village was worried over crop loss and had failed to repay the loan. On Monday, he consumed pesticide and was rushed tp Bargarh district hospital. He was shifted to VSS Medical College and Hospital on Thursday but died on Friday evening. He had taken Rs. 50,000 loan from UBI and some amounts from micro-finance organizations.
In another case, Fakira Bhoi of Kudapada in Sambalpur district consumed pesticide on Wednesday after severe crop loss. He had taken a loan of about Rs three lakh from cooperative bank and SBI, Kuchinda branch, for power-trailer and fodder cutting machine. Fakir was admitted to Kuchinda hospital after his suicide bid and later shifted to VSS Medical Hospital where he died on Friday.
In yet another incident, Baikuntha Nath Bhoi (59), a peon in local post office at Panimora village of Bargarh district committed suicide consuming pesticide on Friday. Police recovered his body and registered a case. Though he was working at a local post office, he also worked on his land. But the district administration in Bargarh is not ready to accept it as a case of farmer’s suicide. “He had a fixed monthly income so why would he commit suicide. It is not believable,” Bargarh collector Suresh Prasad Padhi said.
Yet another farmer committed suicide by consuming pesticide at Jada village of Bargarh district. Durlabh Bagarti (42) was a well-off farmer and had 12 acres of land in an irrigated patch. He had sold four acres last year. He had cultivated brinjal in eight acres of land he owned near the village. But his crop was completely destroyed in pest attack.
Bagarti was admitted to the VSS Medical, Burla in an unconscious state on Thursday after he consumed pesticide.He died on Friday. He is survived by his wife, three sons and a daughter, all minors. Bagarti had taken a loan of nearly Rs 1 lakh from a bank and micro-finance society and had defaulted on repayment.
Kosal Discussion and Development Forum 