Over 450 farmers committed suicide

Mansa, December 21
Over 450 debt-ridden farmers in Malwa region had committed suicide during the last decade. Leaders of farmers claim that reasons behind the farmers taking this extreme step include stress due to debt, low income from farming and increasing cost of agricultural activities.
A sample survey conducted by the Bhartiya Kisan Union (Ugrahan) in 50 villages of Mansa district reveals that nearly 460 farmers committed suicide in these villages between 1997 to 2004.
The villages of Mansa where large number of farmers committed suicide include Akalian where 38 farmers ended their lives. Eighteen farmers committed suicide in village Tamkot while six cases of suicide were reported from the village Atalakalan. Five farmers committed suicide in village Burjhari, 10 in village Khokahar Kalan, 11 in village Musa, six in village Khara Barnala, 16 in village Jatana, 15 in village Mirpur Khurd, 10 in village Mirpur Kalan, six in village Tiby Hari Singh, 11 in Ranjit Garh Bander, six in Matti, 6 in Atala Khurd, 4 in Jhabbar and 12 in the village Alisher Khurd.
District secretary of BKU Mahinder Singh Romana said that increasing input costs of agriculture and decreasing income from farming had forced the farmers to take the extreme step.
District president of BKU Ram Singh Bhaini Bagha added that along with suicides, about 673 farmers had lost their land holding due to loans and low income from farming.
The survey says that most farmers committed suicide by consuming spray pesticides and jumping into canals.
Farmer leaders alleged that the government did not provide any help to the families of farmers who committed suicides. They also blamed the wrong policies of the government for the poor condition of the farmers. The deputy commissioner of Mansa, Kumar Rahul, could not provide any information regarding the help rendered to the families of farmers who took this extreme step due to debt.