In 48 hours. 4 more farmers commit suicide in Vidarbha
The agrarian crises in Vidarbha drove four more distressed farmers to commit suicide in the last 48 hours.
The victims have been identified as Diwakar Wankhede of Gondburanda, 42, Sudam Rathod, 40, Warondali (both Yavatmal district), Omkar Paraskar, 35, of Takli (Buldhana) and Pramod Gautre, 32, Belkhed (Akola). All of them reportedly swallowed pesticide.
Kishore Tiwari of Vidarbha Janandolan Samiti claimed that these farmers were frustrated as their sowing dried up because of deficient rain earlier this month and they had no funds for re-sowing.
He insisted that the Maharashtra government, and financial institutions in particular, should provide crop loans again to the needy farmers so that such suicides could be prevented.
Shravan Hardikar, Yavatmal district collector, claimed that a substantial crop loans were disbursed among farmers in the current kharif season.
Around Rs550 crore crop loans have been disbursed among farmers in the district since June, Hardikar said.
He said there were many complaints against the nationalised banks for their non-cooperation to disburse crop loans this season. We had two meetings with the bank officials and directed them to meet the target, he added.
Hardikar admitted that farmers did commit suicide because of agrarian crisis this week. We are holding a meeting on August 2 in this connection, he said.
With the deaths of these four farmers the toll has risen to 37 this month alone, while the figure was 38 in June.
At least 359 farmers have committed suicide in Vidarbha because of agrarian crisis since January.