Yavatmal (Maha): Six more farmers in the
western district of Vidarbha committed suicide during the last
two days, due to debts and drought spell, the Vidarbha Jan
Andolan Samiti said.
The farmers ended their life after consuming
pesticides are - Chandu Rathod, Gajanan Yenchalwar, Gajanan
Wankhede, (all from Yavatmal district), Vinod Ale and Manoj
(from Akola district) and Raju Bobade (Wardha district)
respectively.
All of them have taken the extreme step of killing
themselves due to the crop failures followed by the loan debt
liabilities, Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti spokesperson said.
All the six farmers come under the beneficiaries of
the PM's special package, the Samiti spokesperson said.
The Samiti has urged the State Govt to ensure the
uninterrupted supply of cattle fodder, water, employment and
health services on a war footing failing which the suicide
spree would be escalated.
"Though the Government has declared the Vidarbha
region as drought hit, nothing appreciable has come out so far
which is disturbing," Kishore Tiwari of the Samiti said.
Over 14,059 villages across Vidarbha are under the
grip of severe drought and the Union Agriculture Minister
Sharad Pawar should concentrate on the farmers issues instead
of settling score with the Shiv Sena leadership on a non
issue, he said.
PTI
First Published: Tuesday, February 09, 2010, 23:22