7 farmers committed suicide in Orissa so far

7 farmers committed suicide in Orissa so far
By Our Correspondent
BHUBANESWAR: The toll of farmer suicides in Orissa has gone up to seven with yet another 60-year old farmer committed suicide in Rangadhipa village under Hemgiri police station in Sundargarh district.

The farmer was identified as Mahasai Narang and consumed pesticide.Villagers attributed crop failure as the prime reason for Mahasai to commit suicide but the local administration maintained that financial problems forced the farmer to take such drastic step.

With the death of Mahasai, so far seven farmers have committed suicide in the state during October primarily due to crop failure and pest attacks on the crop.

The State Government, which is under tremendous pressure, however announced loan package for the farmers.

Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had already ordered a high level administrative inquiry into the series of suicides of the farmers by the Agricultural Production Commissioner (APC) who has been directed to make field visit and inquire into the incidents.

The Opposition political parties in Orissa, while holding the Chief Minister and Agriculture Minister Damodar Rout responsible for the suicides of the farmers, demanded compensation of Rs five lakh to the next of kin of the deceased and a job to one member of the family.

The Opposition has also demanded to declare all the affected blocks in the state as drought-hit and waive debts of the farmers living in distress.

A fact finding team of the ruling Biju Janata Dal, which visited some of the deceased farmers' villages, submitted a report to the Chief Minister stating that the crop failure and pest attack were the prime reasons for the farmers to commit suicide.


The team has urged the government to launch welfare measures for the farmers to prevent occurrence of such tragic incident in future.