The farmers of Vemulaghat in Toguta mandal observed 250th day of protest against the proposed Mallannasagar reservoir on Thursday. On the occasion, Chatlapally Srinivas, a farmer, recalled the ordeal that claimed his uncle Chatlapally Ramulu’s life.
“My uncle committed suicide by consuming pesticide as he feared facing his future. He was forced to sell his land to the government for the project. He did get compensation, but that wasn’t enough to clear all his debts. And he didn’t have his land to bank on. Unable to find a way out, he took the extreme step,” Srinivas narrated. He complained that none of the officials visited the village to inquire into the incident.
Though Chatlapally Ramulu was a farmer and he committed suicide which entitles his family to get ex gratia of ₹6 lakh from the government, his death was not registered as a farmer’s suicide.
“If a farmer commits suicide after selling his land forcefully to the government, what else should it be treated as,” asked Sarampally Malla Reddy, leader of All India Kisan Sabha.
“Ramulu was a small farmer who could not afford to buy land outside his village with the compensation he received. All that he received was enough to clear some of his old debts. With no hope whatsoever, he committed suicide,” said Chityala Narasimha Reddy, a resident of the village.
“His death should be treated as farmer’s suicide as he was completely dependent on farm revenue, in addition to the labour work that he occasionally used to go for. This is a fit case for ex gratia from the government,” said a legal luminary, who took part in the event.
When contacted, In-charge Mandal Revenue Officer D. Vijay Bhaskar told The Hindu that Ramulu was a habitual drunkard and used to ask money from her wife to buy liquor. When she repeatedly refused to give him money, he committed suicide. This cannot be registered as farmer’s suicide, he added.
