40% rise in farmer suicides in Maharashtra

[Hindustani78]

Farmer commits suicide in Hyderabad - The Hindu
A farmer from Nizamabad District allegedly hanged himself to death at Lower Tank Bund in Hyderabad early on Wednesday.

The man, B Limbiah, 47, of Sadasivanagar mandal in Nizamabad District came to the city three days ago along with his son Shankar. Shankar, is admitted at a private hospital in Chaderghat as he suffers from some ailment, the police said.

On Wednesday morning, Limbiah left the hospital and reached Katta Maisamma temple in Lower Tank Bund area. “He handed over Rs.10,000 to the priest and stayed in the vicinity of the temple. Sometime later, the locals found him hanging to a pole adjacent to an electrical transformer,” DCP Central Zone, V.B. Kamalasan Reddy said.

The police said that the incident is not a farm related suicide. “We are trying to ascertain the reasons. Preliminary enquiries revealed that Limbiah was depressed over his son’s failing health condition,” the official added.

 

[Hindustani78]

In the wake of farmers’ suicides in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, Labour Minister Bandaru Dattatreya on Wednesday urged Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh to take steps to prevent such incidents.

Dattatreya, along with a delegation from the two states, met Radha Mohan Singh here to apprise him about the problems being faced by farmers in the region.

“Severe drought prevailed in both the states (Telangana and Andhra Pradesh). Farmers’ suicide has increased manifold,” read a letter submitted to the agriculture minister by the delegation.

The delegation requested the minister to send an official team to “ascertain the reason for the farmers’s suicide” and take “necessary steps” to prevent such suicide.

 

[Hindustani78]

Manga the wife of deceased farmer Garia, showing her husband photograph at Donabanda village in Khammam district. PHOTO: G.N.RAO
Seven more farmers end life in Telangana - The Hindu

Crop failure, debt drive them to commit suicide. Three young farmers committed suicide by taking pesticide in Nalgonda district.
Even as the haunting picture of a debt-ridden farmer hanging himself from an electric pole on the busy Lower Tank Bund road in the heart of the city shocked the citizens on Wednesday, seven more farmers, including a woman, ended their life in Telangana on Thursday.

Three young farmers committed suicide by taking pesticide in Nalgonda district. In Donakonda village of Khammam district, two farmers and one each in Warangal and Ranga Reddy district ended life.

E. Mallesh (28) and Banothu Garia (30), a tribal farmer could not overcome the crop failure. Mallesh had taken six acres on lease and cultivated cotton by borrowing from money lenders and pledging wife’s gold ornaments. The crop withered due to the prolonged dry spell. He consumed pesticide in his agricultural field. So was the case with Garia, who also underwent similar ordeal and finding it difficult to come out of the debt trap, committed suicide. In other incident, Narayan Reddy too hanged himself from the ceiling fan at his residence in Ranga Reddy district.

A 23-year-old tribal farmer and his sister died after taking pesticide in their farm in Nalgonda district. Thirtytwo-year-old Karunakar of Sadupally village in the same district hanged himself in his house. He ran up a huge debt after borrowing money to cultivate maize crop. Yet another farmer, Agaiah of Warangal district, consumed pesticide and ended life.

Agrarian crisis triggered by a continuing dry spell coupled with mounting debts and crop failure continued to take a heavy toll on the farming community. Widespread rainfall in the past 48 hours came too late to save the withering crops.

The Congress tried to push the Government to a corner when a delegation led by Leader of Opposition in Telangana Legislative Council, Md. Ali Shabbir, visited the family of B. Limbadri in Nizamabad district on Thursday after he committed suicide by hanging from an electric pole in Hyderabad, a km away from the State Secretariat.

The Congress leaders handed over Rs. 1 lakh to the bereaved family. Mr. Shabbir said a concrete assurance to the farmers could have prevented many suicides.

Minister for Irrigation T. Harish Rao said the government was committed to aiding the farmers. He lashed out at the erstwhile Congress and TDP governments for neglecting the farm sector.

 

[Hindustani78]

Sena to conduct mass marriages in drought belt - The Hindu
The Shiv Sena will implement a kanyadaan scheme and bear the cost of mass marriages in drought-affected Marathawada region to help the drought-affected farmers.

“Their son’s or daughter’s marriage is a big worry for farmers in this difficult time. So, Shiv Sea will organise mass marriages, and bear the cost under a scheme titled Shiv Sena Pramukh Kanyadaan Yojana,” Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray announced at a press conference in Aurangabad on Saturday.

Mr. Thackeray also demanded that the BJP-led Maharashtra government declare drought in the State, and seek a special package from Centre for drought-affected farmers.

 

[Hindustani78]

Last Updated: Monday, September 14, 2015 - 15:29
Ajinkya Rahane donates Rs 5 lakhs for drought affected farmers in Maharashtra | Zee News

Courtesy: Twitter (@Dev_Fadnavis)
Zee Media Bureau

New Delhi: Team India's batsman Ajinkya Rahane on Monday donated Rs 5 lakhs to help the Maharashtra government in their bid to address the agrarian crisis in the state.


Maharashtra has witnessed several farmer suicides of late, which is why Rahane met CM Devendra Fadnavis to offer a helping hand.

Jalyukt Shivar Abhiyaan is a government program to help make Maharashtra a drought-free state by 2019.

This gesture from Rahane is indeed a noble one and the right-hander needs to be applauded for coming forward to help those in distress.




First Published: Monday, September 14, 2015 - 15:29

Congress leader wants measures for distressed Telangana farmers | Zee News
Last Updated: Monday, September 14, 2015 - 19:12
Hyderabad: Alleging that about 1,100 farmers have committed suicide due to agrarian distress in Telangana since May last year, AICC spokesperson and former MP Madhu Yashki Goud today demanded that the state government take concrete measures to help agriculturists.

"The financial assistance which was offered by the state of Telangana, given in four instalments, is only enough to pay the interest and not the principal amount. Plus, the seeds which were supplied, were substandard and there is no minimum support price for the crop... Which is causing most of the farmers to commit suicide," he said.

The state government should take measures like setting up help centres, making revenue officials at village level responsible if a farmer commits suicide and giving advice to farmers on alternative crops, besides offering health facilities, he demanded.

PTI

 

[Hindustani78]

Akshay feels embarrassed to talk about donation for farmers

Mumbai, Sep 17, 2015, (PTI)

Actor Akshay Kumar, who has pledged Rs 90 lakh for relief of drough-hit farmers in Maharashtra, says he does not want to talk about it.

Akshay is the latest celebrity after Nana Patekar to come out in the support of distressed farmers.

The state faces one of its worst droughts, specially the Marathwada region. The "Singh is Kingh" actor plans to financially help 180 families of farmers who committed suicide due to the acute agrarian crisis.

"I don't want to talk about it. I feel it is stupidity to talk about it. I feel embarrassed to answer all these things. I have never spoken about it," he said when asked about it.

"You all write about it and I am sure they (people) will get inspired. It is in your hands. You want me to say.. one day I thought about it and read in newspaper and felt it is bad. Everybody does it and there is nothing to talk about it. I don't know what to say," the 48-year-old actor said.

He reportedly donated some amount to widows of farmers who have ended their lives at a function organised by the police in Beed district.

 

[Hindustani78]

The Minister of State for Commerce & Industry (Independent Charge), Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman consoling the family of the tobacco farmer, who committed suicide recently, at Poduru Tagupur (M), in Ongole, Andhra Pradesh on September 18, 2015.

 

[Hindustani78]

Telangana sportstars come forward to help farmers' families
Hyderabad, Sep 20, 2015, (IANS)
Leading sportspersons from Telangana have come forward to help families of farmers who have committed suicide due to debt burden and crop failure.

Responding to an appeal by the state government to all sections of the society to come to the rescue of farmers' families, tennis ace Sania Mirza, top shuttler Jwala Gutta and cricketer Pragyan Ojha on Sunday declared their support.

As Saniais in China to play in a tournament, her mother Naseema Mirza presented a cheque of Rs.3 lakh to MP K. Kavita, daughter of Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao.

"Agriculture and farmers are core of our country. Whatever crisis the state is facing be it farmers's suicides or an earthquake, we have to come forward to help the people," said Naseema.

Sania is the brand ambassador of the newly-created state.

Jwala, who presented a cheque of Rs.1 lakh, said it was the duty of every citizen whether they are celebrities or a common people to come forward to help the farmers.

"We need to come forward and do whatever we can," she said.

Ojha said since farmers are backbone of the country, he decided to join the effort without second thought. He assured all support to the effort to help the families of farmers.

Kavita, who is also heading cultural organisation Telangana Jagruthi, said the NRIs wing and others had come forward to adopt 70 families of the farmers. She said the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) government was doing everything possible to help the farmers but it was the responsibility of every section of the society to contribute.

She said the organisation would take care of the widows and children of the farmers.

The state cabinet on Friday decided to hike compensation for farmer suicide deaths from Rs.1.5 lakh to Rs 6.lakh. Deputy Chief Minister Kadiam Srihari announced that the hiked compensation would come into effect from September 19.

The government said 430 farmers committed suicide in the last one year of which 141 have been found eligible for compensation in accordance with the government's criteria.

Opposition parties however claimed that over 1,000 farmers killed themselves in the same period.

 

[Hindustani78]

Second farmer commits suicide in Medak - The Hindu
Updated: September 21, 2015 16:05 IST
For the second consecutive day on Monday, a farmer Satyanayrana of Medak District committed by hanging in Telangana State.
According to sources, Chintala Satyanarayan (47) was a tenant farmer and cultivating maize and cotton in about three aces. He lost heavily due to crop loss as there were no rains. It was reported that he was having about Rs.3 lakh debt.
Unable to come out of the debt trap, he allegedly committed suicide at Narsikhed Colony in Medak town in the wee hours of Monday. Body was shifted to Government Hospital. Police registered a case and are investigating.
This was the second suicide in Medak district. One Mallesh (55) of Ramsagar village in Daultabad mandal had committed suicide at Begumpet on Sunday.

 

[Hindustani78]

She prays for rain, but not too much - The Hindu
At first glance, Pitla Pushpa’s home in Medak mandal looks like any other house. However, a closer look reveals an entirely different picture.

Dilapidated house

Pushpa’s house spread across 100 yards of land is in dilapidated condition — half of the roof is covered with tiles, while the other is covered with dry grass. The sun and moon peep inside at their will and wish. The roof may collapse any time.

Her pitiful condition is a reflection of how the majority of families of farmers who committed suicide due to the farm crisis live.

Pushpa, along with her two children Trisha and Vaishnavi, prays every day to god for rain so that she can cultivate her 2.75 acre land near the village. At the same time, she prays that it not shower too much as her house has cracks everywhere, which would let rain water inside, thus making it difficult for the family to stay indoors. On any rainy day, the family of three have to take shelter elsewhere.

Pushpa’s husband Narasimhulu committed suicide in April 2012 by consuming pesticide, unable to repay a debt of Rs. 2.01 lakh after digging three borewells that did not yield water, in addition to crop failure.

She does not know when she would be in a position to complete the house. There are many homes in the village like that of Pushpa’s.

Tulasamma stays in a single room house along with her grown up daughter. Even the door of the house is incomplete, offering little protection to Tulasamma.

Siddamma is also facing similar problems, as she literally lives in shelter-like accommodation.

“We do not know whether the government would recognise our families as the families of farmers’ who have committed suicide. Years of struggle had not yielded any result so far,” Pushpa told The Hindu .

Despite the head of the family dying many years ago, they still wait and hope that someone will come to their rescue one day.

That day is yet to come.

Pitla Pushpa’s husband committed suicide due to the farm crisis in 2012. She’s still waiting for someone to come to her rescue

 

[Hindustani78]

Farmer commits suicide in Medak - The Hindu
Updated: September 24, 2015 16:56 IST
One more farmer committed suicide by hanging himself in Medak District of Telangana in the wee hours of Thursday.

According to sources one Srinivas Reddy (45) consumed pesticide and committed suicide at R. Venkatapur village in Ramayampet madnal. It was stated that he was having more than Rs.4 lakh debts and unable to come out of the debt trap. Ramayampet police registered a case and are investigating.

 

[jamahir]

The state faces one of its worst droughts, specially the Marathwada region. The "Singh is Kingh" actor plans to financially help 180 families of farmers who committed suicide due to the acute agrarian crisis.

"I don't want to talk about it. I feel it is stupidity to talk about it. I feel embarrassed to answer all these things. I have never spoken about it," he said when asked about it.

while what he has planned ( the donation ) is fine work indeed, why doesn't he want to talk about it and the issue??

as a bombay films superstar he has national and international reach and should use it to talk about this sad, current and very real issue, and raise awareness among the film fraternity of india, especially as farmer-related suicides occur in so many places in india.

in fact, bombay film industry should make a in which where progressive solutions taken from other countries like ussr, venezuela, even usa are presented to teach the government, the establishment, the farmers and the other citizens.

this ( Kisaan - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia ) seems to have been a start in 2009, though seems not to have been well promoted.

 

[Hindustani78]

Three farmers commit suicide in T.S, A.P. - The Hindu

Two farmers committed suicide in Medak District in the past 24 hours ending noon of Friday. According to sources, one Bheema Narayana a farmer belonging to Singatam village in Gajwel mandal had committed suicide by hanging.

He is having about Rs.6 lakh debt, out of which about Rs.4 lakh was with the APGVB local branch. He was having about four acres of land and dug four bore wells and all of them failed. In addition to this, the cotton crop has completely dried up increasing the loss incurred.

Unable to find a way out, Bheema Narayana allegedly took the extreme step. He was survived by wife and two sons. Gajwel police registered a case and are investigating.

In another case, one G. Ramulu (45) of Munipally had committed suicide on Thursday night at a farm unable to bear the pressure of debt. According to S. Koteswara Rao, Sub-Inspector, Munipally, Ramulu was having about eight acres of land along with family members and leased out another three acres from others.

He had invested heavily on cotton crop which had dried up. Vexed with the financial problems, Ramulu hanged himself. The Muniapally police registered a case and are investigating.

In Prakasam District:

A 57-year-old farmer committed suicide in Veeranapalem village, near Darsi, in Prakasam District on Friday. Saddled with debts, the depressed farmer, M. Veligondaiah allegedly ended his life by consuming pesticide, Darsi Sub-Inspector Subba Rao said.

''Further details are awaited'', said the SI proceeding to the village for a probe.

 

[Hindustani78]

Two farmers die in Medak district - The Hindu
Updated: September 29, 2015 05:48 IST

Two farmers died in Medak district in the last 24 hours. While one farmer committed suicide by hanging, another died of cardiac arrest.

According to sources, Malyala Ellam, 34, of Shalipet village of Chinna Shankarampet mandal, committed suicide by hanging on Monday morning.

He dug a bore on his two acres of land, which failed, and consequently the maize crop that he raised also dried up.

He incurred Rs. 2 lakh loss and committed suicide. His wife, Anita, lodged a complaint with the police of Chinnashankarampet.

Case registered

In another incident, E. Sanjeevulu, 45, died of cardiac arrest at Markook village in Wargal mandal.

Sanjeevulu incurred Rs. 2 lakh loss in farming and was working as a driver to repay the debts.

As his financial position did not improve and as lenders were mounting pressure on him, he suffered cardiac arrest and collapsed.

Wargal police registered a case and are investigating.

Two farmers commit suicide - The Hindu
Updated: September 29, 2015 05:43 IST
Gundappa Hugar (35) and Durganna (25), farmers from Gunda village in Sindhanur taluk and Hire Hesarur village in Lingasugur taluk respectively, committed suicide.

While the former hanged himself at his house on Sunday night, the latter ended his life by consuming poison.

According to the villagers, Gundappa had owned 3 acre of land and had a loan of Rs. 4.80 lakh.

He had recently got two borewells drilled and both of them failed to yield any water.

Durganna had owned 4 acres of land and had a loan of Rs. 2 lakh.

Actor Akshay Kumar, Kejriwal discuss farmers' issues

Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar called on Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and discussed about issues related to farming sector, rising farmer suicides and ways to help farmers get out of distressing situation.

A senior government official said that in the meeting, Kumar also briefed Kejriwal on works he has been doing for the farmers and how he supports 30 farmers every month.

Kejriwal expressed concern over the suicides of farmers in some parts of the country and assured that Delhi government would extend all help it can to the farmers.

"We will do whatever we can. We must device a method to help. It's very disheartening to see the situation. They are the ones who feed us; we must take care of them. We need to get to the root cause of the problem. They must get their due," Kejriwal said.

The Bollywood action star said, "We must come forward to help them (farmers). People are not happy farming, we must go back to our roots, it is very important. We need to have a campaign for the cause."

 

[Hindustani78]

Two farmers end life, another dies of heart attack - The Hindu
Updated: October 2, 2015 05:47 IST

Two farmers including a woman committed suicide in various parts of Karimnagar district following failure of crops on Thursday. Reports reaching here said that a farmer S Mogili (48) of Ibrahimpalli village in Kataram mandal committed suicide by consuming pesticides in his fields on Thursday.

He had cultivated paddy, cotton and chilli. But, the crops withered due to drought conditions and he incurred debts to the tune of several lakhs.

Mounting debts

Unable to clear debts, he committed suicide. In another incident, a woman farmer Madunamma (55) of Chinna Kalwala village of Sultanabad mandal committed suicide by hanging in front of her house. She had cultivated paddy and cotton in her two-acres land and incurred huge debts due to failure of crops.

Unable to clear the debts, she resorted to this extreme act.

A cotton farmer reportedly died of heart attack following failure of his crops in Padira village of Yelareddypet mandal on Thursday.

Reports reaching here said that Ashaiah (60) took six acres of land on lease and cultivated paddy and cotton. But, due to the prevailing weather conditions, the crops had withered completely. He got stressed up as he was worried over the clearance of debts of Rs 5 lakh. He died of heart attack in sleep in the wee hours of Thursday.