The Bharatiya Krishik Samaj (Samyukt) has criticised and strongly condemned the anti-farmer attitude of certain officials in the taluk-level committees empowered to decide and recommend compensation to families of farmers who committed suicide.
BKS(S) state president Sidagoud Modagi said here on Wednesday that the Hukkeri taluk level committee had disapproved the claims of “suicide” of Annagouda Patil of Madamaknal and Suresh Chougula of Arjunwad last year. The application by their respective families was turned down stating that the farmers' suicide was due to personal reasons and not due to losses incurred because of crop loss/ failure.
But, the district level committee headed by Assistant Commissioner overruled the taluk committee’s observation, acknowledging that both the cases of suicide were due to crop losses and financial distress conditions and disbursed compensation of Rs.5 lakh each.
There were at least 45 such cases in the district pending for consideration for compensation. However, Deputy Commissioner N. Jayaram claimed that only about four to five cases were yet to be finalised. This shows that he is not being apprised of the facts, Mr. Modgi said.
He submitted a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner, demanding action against officials who were deliberately delaying compensation to the families of farmers who had committed suicide.
Some farmers also strongly criticised remarks of former minister and BJP leader Umesh V. Katti, MLA (Hukkeri) on farmers’ suicides. When a group of farmers approached him to direct the officials to for payment of compensation, he allegedly ridiculed their claims of suicide and likened it to death due to alcoholism. He also allegedly told them that no government could entertain claims for compensation just because a farmer committed a suicide. “We were shocked at his attitude,” the farmers told the reporters on condition of anonymity.
The BKS(S) strongly opposed the anti-farmer stand of the Belagavi Chamber of Commerce and Industries for demanding measures to strengthen the procedure for acquisition of agricultural lands for establishment of industrial estates.
Pointing out that many sugar mills were not willing pay sugarcane prices as per the Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) announced by the centre for the year 2015-16, Mr. Modgi said the government should not accord permission to all such defaulting mills to take up crushing operations for the ensuing 2016-17 season.
