farmer killed self in Jharsuguda

Industrial growth may change the fate of few outside industrialist but it has failed to rescue the farmers of the state who are struggling for their survival. This has been proved from the incident occurred in the Jharsuguda district on Sunday when a farmers committed suicide consuming pesticide. Villagers claim he took the step as he failed to repay society loan owing to severe crop loss. Police registered a case of unnatural death but unable to recover the dead body because of the protest of the villagers who blocked the NH 200 demanding compensation. It was possible only when the revenue officials of the district rushed to the spot and assured the villagers for proper compensation to the deceased family. But due to sun shed police conducted autopsy on Monday.

Sources said, 48 years old Gourhari Patra of Sagarpali village under Bhaurkhol GP of Lakhanpur block in Jharsuguda district, 120 km away from here committed suicide by consuming pesticide on Sunday. He was rescued by the villager in a serious condition and taken to the Lakhanpur public Health Centre, where he was declared dead. The villagers blocked the national high way 200 at Lakhanpur demanding compensation to the deceased family. Police rushed to the spot but unable to recovered the dead body because of the protest of the villagers.

“We finally recovered the dead body of the deceased in the evening after the villagers called off their agitation on the assurance of the revenue officials present on the spot. We handed over the body to the deceased family after conducting autopsy on Monday”, a senior police officer of Jharsuguda district told.

Sources said, Low rain fail coupled with invasion of ledapoka (army insect) caused heavy crop damage in various parts of the western Orissa. Jharsuguda’s Lakhanpur block was one of the worst affected areas where farmers had brought the situation into the notice of district administration as well as the government on several occasions. “But neither the government nor the district administration puts any heed to our request”, a villager Narayan Majhi told.

According a source, deceased had taken agriculture loan of Rs. 20 thousand from the Bhaurkhol cooperative society and another few thousands from other co-villagers. He had assured to repay these loans after harvesting was over. But to his bad luck, he sustained a huge loss due to crop damage. Source also claimed that deceased was mentally upset because of the financial pressure for the expenditure of leutani (return of married daughter who comes during Dussehra). It may be informed that out of his 3 daughters 2 had already got married.

On the other hand the district administration has directed the subordinate official to submit a report on the death for further action. “I have asked the tahasilar to enquiry the incident. Action would be initiated once I get the report”, collector (Jharsuguda) D Dash told.

Meanwhile the farmer leaders blame the government for farmer suicidal death. They apprehend a worst situation in future if timely action is not initiated to rescue the farmers. “Blind industrialization and anti-farmer policy of the government force the farmers to kill self. Earlier Orissa was free from such incident but now the wrong policy adopted by state government would outnumber the death toll of Maharastra and Andhra Pradesh in near future”, farmer leader Ashok Pradhan told