By Pervez Bari, TwoCircles.net
Bhopal: As Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh was celebrating independent India’s 60th birthday, 15 more farmers committed suicides (seven of these were reported in these columns on August 15) in Vidarbha region of Maharashtra in last 72 hours as part of the ongoing agrarian crisis.
The farmers who have committed suicides are facing acute fund crisis as bankers have stopped giving crop loans to the them. The farmers who committed suicides were identified as: Kisan Deshmukh of Pangarkhed & Dilip Dode in Talked (both in Buldhana district), Ashok Digade in Dhabha Pahur, Arvind Jhadhav in Koli, Ramrao Rathode of Markanda, Maroti Shelke of Madni & Bandu Mohale of Khandala (all five in Yavatmal district), Pravin Dhare in Wadira & Dilip Shorti of Athalpur (both in Amaravati district), Shivram Hatole in Talamga & Pravin Modak of Sangwi (both in Akola district), Dadaji Khotkar in Kawathi in Chandrapur district, Raju Ladake in Gramloni & Vijay Sonone of Karpa (both in Washim district), Nagorao Thul of Chagli -Kopara in Wardha district.
According to Nagpur-based Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti, (VJAS), president Kishor Tiwari, who is counting these dead while spearheading the campaign for the rederessal of woes of their families, the total toll of farmers who have committed suicide since January this year is now 586. The detailed break-up of farmers’ suicides month-wise and district-wise of Maharashtra is as follows: –
| MONTH-WISE SUICIDES | NUMBERS OF FARMERS’ SUICIDES |
DISTRICT-WISE FARMERS’ SUICIDES | NUMBERS OF FARMERS’ SUICIDES |
| JANUARY 2007 |
70 | YAVATMAL | 147 |
| FEBRUARY 2007 |
86 |
AMARAVATI | 102 |
| MARCH 2007 |
82 |
AKOLA | 72 |
| APRIL 2007 |
90 |
WASHIM | 87 |
| MAY 2007 |
69 | BULDHANA | 65 |
| JUNE 2007 |
68 | WARDHA | 47 |
| JULY 2007 |
64 | NAGPUR | 13 |
| AUGUST 2007 |
47 | BHANDARA | 19 |
| CHANDRAPUR | 21 | ||
| GADCHIROLI | 06 | ||
| GONDIA | 07 | ||
| TOTAL | 586 | TOTAL | 586 |
SOURCE-FARM SUICIDE REGISTER OF VJAS
Meanwhile, the Indian Prime Minister is revisiting farmers’ suicide-affected west Vidarbha after one year to review his relief package of Rs. 37500 millions out of which nearly Rs.17000 million spent as per official data and more than Rs.16500 million has been spent on major two heads which are Rs. 8240 million on interest waiver and Rs. 8360 million on payment of irrigation bills to contractors. However, the main demands of cotton growing farmers of having loan waiver, restoration of cotton procurement price to Rs. 2700/- per quintal, free health services, higher education to farmers family members along with food security and rural employment to youth still remains to be attended, Tiwari said.
"Three million farmers, who are in deep distress, are expecting that Indian Prime Minister in his next visit by month end will make announcement of this effect in order to save the dying Vidarbha farmers", Tiwari added. strong>([email protected])
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