Two more farmers commit suicide in Odisha

October 14, 2015 12:00 am | Updated 05:46 am IST - BHUBANESWAR:

Two more farmers ended their lives in western Odisha districts even as the Odisha Human Rights Commission (OHRC) directed the State government to furnish a report on spate in farmers’ suicides on Tuesday.

Nuapada district registered its first farmer suicide this year when Dhanurdhar Ada (35) died in a private hospital 30 hours after consuming some poisonous substance. Dhanurdhar had mortgaged his wife’s gold jewellery to secure loan from private sources. He had cultivated paddy in four acres and cotton on another four acres in his Khirmal village in Boden block.

Unfortunately for Dhanurdhar, both crops failed and there was no chance of getting expected yield. The couple reportedly had a tiff over retrieving mortgaged gold jewellery on Sunday. Subsequently, the farmer took the extreme step. He was rushed to a private hospital at Khariar where he died.

Similarly, another suicide incident was reported from Tukurla village under Bhatli block of Bargarh district where at least five farmers had so far allegedly ended their life owing crop failure during past two months.

In the latest instance, one Margasir Majhi (50) of Tukurla village, who had grown paddy in eight acres of land by availing Rs.60,000 of loans from bank and private sources, committed suicide by consuming pesticide.

Since September this year, more than 15 farmers had taken extreme steps due to crop failure following deficit rainfall in the State.

When a social activist, Sanjay Sahoo, brought the matter to notice of OHRC on Tuesday, the commission immediately issued notices to Secretary of Revenue and Disaster Management department as well as Agriculture Secretary. The top officials have been asked to furnish a report on alleged farmers’ suicide within next four weeks.

Mr. Sahoo had raised seven farmer suicide cases that had occurred in Bolangir, Bargarh, Sambalpur, Khurda and Jagatsinghpur districts. “This year’s deficit rainfall has led to drought in the State affecting farmers’ community. Farmers have come under acute mental agony anticipating that they would not be able to repay loans secured from private money lenders,” he said.

Human rights panel asks the government to furnish report on suicides

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