Several people’s organisations asked the State government to enhance compensation from Rs. 1.5 lakh to Rs. 5 lakh, for the families of farmers who committed suicide. Kin of the deceased farmers staged a demonstration at the Ambedkar statue in Hanamkonda on Monday under the aegis of Human Rights Forum (HRF), Rythu Swarajya Vedika (RSV) and Organisation for Protection of Democratic Rights (OPDR).
HRF leader S. Jeevan Kumar, V S Krishna and others said as per official records, a total of 3,200 farmers committed suicides between 1998 and 2015 in Warangal district. Since start of 2014, a total of 182 farmers died in the district. “On an average, 11 farmers committed suicide every month in Warangal which is very unfortunate,” Mr. Krishna said. The State government should implement in letter and spirit the GO 421. However, the divisional level committees that were supposed to inquire into the deaths of farmers hardly visited the families and recommended compensation. “The official records say 23 farmers committed suicide in 2014-2015, but none of them got any relief as being claimed by the government,” the HRF leaders alleged. They said they brought together the kin of the farmers who died due to distress in agriculture, only to highlight their plight. The district administration should wake up to their problems and sort them out at the earliest. The State government should enhance the compensation to Rs. 5 lakh per family.
The Chief Minister said ‘Bangaru Telangana’ meant smile on every face in the State and now the time has come to focus on these families, Mr Krishna said.
