Citing the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) statistics, the Communist Party of India (Marxist)-affiliated Tamil Nadu Vivasayigal Sangam has demanded a white paper from the State Government on the suicidal deaths by farmers during the last five years.
The NCRB statistics states the farmer suicide in the State for the period 2005-10 is about 5000. This is attributed to failure of crops, mounting debt burden among other reasons.
Addressing the reporters here K. Balakrishnan, State President, Tamil Nadu Vivasayigal Sangam and State Secretariat Member, CPI (M), said that even after the figure on farmers’ suicide was known through the NCRB, the State government is keeping quite, no action was initiated to prevent such suicide deaths.
Hence, the Communists demand the State government to release white paper on suicide deaths of the farmers in the State, he adde.
Many cases were either not reported to the authorities or were not registered by the police. Thus, the Government has rendered great injustice to the farming community, the leader pointed out.
Milk procurement
The Tamil Nadu Vivasayigal Sangam has demanded the price of milk procurement be hiked to Rs. 5 per litre for cow milk and Rs. 8 per litre for buffalo milk immediately.
Terming the recent hike of Rs. 1.10 per litre of cow milk and Rs. 2.10 per litre of buffalo milk as an “eye wash”, Mr. Balakrishnan said it was very meager compared to the multifold increase in cattle feed prices.
The Sangam will plunge into series of agitations in the State if the demands are not met, Mr. Balakrishnan warned.
Paddy procurement price
Mr. Balakrishnan also demanded the Government to increase the paddy procurement price to Rs. 1500 per quintal for first quality paddy and Rs. 1300 for the next quality. Government should take into account the increase in fertilizer price and other input costs while considering this demand.
He also ridiculed the State Food Minister E.V. Velu’s statement on the demand for increasing the paddy procurement price stating that it will further escalate the price rise.
When the government is interested in hiking the price of fertilizers, the same yardstick should be applied in hiking the paddy procurement price, he said.
Sugarcane mills issue
The leader pointed out the recent trend of cooperative banks denying payment to cheques issued by cooperative sugar mills citing cash crunch. He also produced the details of a cheque issued by Mundiambakkam Sugar Mills to the tune of Rs. 6 crore that was returned recently.
Flood relief
Though the State government sought Rs. 1832-crore flood relief from the Union government for the crop loss and house damages across the State, not even a farmer was given flood relief for crop loss, the government issued relief only for the house damage, Mr. Balakrishnan alleged.
He also demanded the Government to appeal in the High Court for cancellation of the permission given by the court for sand mining with only two mechanized excavators in the rivers in the State.
