A 49-year-old paddy farmer from upper Kuttanad who suffered crop loss during the current spell of summer rain ended his life on Sunday .
The deceased was identified as Rajeev of Niranam, near Thiruvalla. He was found hanging from a tree near his paddy farm late on Sunday.
People said back-to-back crop failures and mounting financial crisis had forced him to take the extreme step. “He had been cultivating paddy on his three acre plot near his residence, besides on another six acres at Thalavady along with his friends. The entire crop, which was almost ready for harvest, was flattened by the summer rain,‘‘ said Biju Varghese, a neighbour of Rajeev.
The farmer had suffered similar crop loss during the previous summer also, he said. With no adequate compensation from the State, he, along with a few other farmers, had also approached the High Court.
Official sources said Rajeev had availed himself of loans from a handful of financial institutions, including a bank and a primary credit society, and was desperate to repay at least a part of the debt.
Report sought
Expressing shock over the incident, Agriculture Minister P. Prasad said steps would be taken to ensure adequate compensation to the farmers in the event of crop loss. The Minister also directed the Pathanamthitta District Collector to probe the episode and submit a report.
“The conditions set for availing crop insurance will be reviewed so that all farmers will get due compensation for the losses they suffer. The State government is duty bound to protect its farmers and a meeting will soon be convened to discuss the issues concerning the agriculture sector. The matter will be conveyed to the Chief Minister as well,” he told media persons.
Congress charge
The Congress, meanwhile, launched a scathing attack on the State government, accusing it of being negligent towards providing adequate compensation to farmers in a time-bound manner. “The unseasonal rain, which affected crops in over 1,300 hectares in Kuttanad alone, has shattered the dreams of tens of thousands of farmers. The Department of Agriculture has not yet taken action to collect accurate figures on how many hectares of land in the State has been affected,” said Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee president K. Sudhakaran.
According to him, the compensation dues to farmers in the State under the crop insurance scheme stood as high as ₹25 crore
Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan urged the State government to establish a farmer assistance fund and comprehensive legislation to tide over the agrarian crisis. “The moratorium should be extended immediately and implemented in such a way that the beneficiary is convinced. If required, the State should also seek legal redressal against the policies of the Union government,” he said.
