Worried over the spate of farmer suicides in Wayanad district, the Congress has decided to send a fact-finding team comprising senior leaders there.
Addressing a press conference here, Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee president Ramesh Chennithala said the reports of farmer suicide were quite disturbing. The party wanted to make its own assessment about the situation prevailing in the district and recommend a series of relief measures. The party had asked the government to announce a moratorium on farm loans.
In reply to a question, he agreed to the view that some of the suicide cases were not related to the farm sector. “Nevertheless, the reasons for the suicides needed to be investigated,” he said.
Mr. Chennithala said Wayanad had been selected for the implementation of the Vidharbha package. The package was announced after the party leadership held discussions with the leaders of Congress Legislature Parties and Pradesh Congress presidents. He said the party was of the view that the situation for the re-emergence of suicide cases was the outcome of the previous LDF government's failure to implement the Vidharbha package. “Had the schemes under this package been implemented, the district would not have slipped into distress,” he said.
The fact-finding team will present its report at the earliest. On the basis of the report, the party would come up with its recommendations for extending relief to the distressed farmers, he added.
