All’s not well in MP: Two more farmers commit suicide in 2 days despite slew of measures

Special Correspondent

NewsBits.in

BHOPAL: Two more farmer committed suicide in state on Tuesday, taking the toll of farmers’ suicide in state during last four days to five.

These suicides are being reported despite a slew of measures including purchase of farm produce at minimum support price, setting up of cost and marketing commission, land use advisory services, assurance of no acquisition of land without consent and others have been announced by government during past few days.

However, no assurance has come on farm loan waiver.

During past 15 years, over 18,000 farmers have committed suicide in MP, the average every year coming to about 1200 every year or 100 every month.

A farmer has consumed poison in Jajna village of Rehti in Sehore district on Monday apparently due to pressure of farm loan repayment.

On Tuesday, farmer Makhanlal Lovanshi, 68, hanged himself from a tree in village Bhairopur of Seoni Malwa. He was reportedly under debt of over Rs 5 lakh and had also taken some personal loan from relatives.

In another incident, a 40-year old farmer Harisingh Jatav killed himself in Jirapur of Shamsabad tehsil in Vidisha over dispute of farm land demarcation, sources said.

In case of Makhanlal Lovanshi, though he owned 15 acres of land, the productivity was not good and Makhanlal could not repay his loan and was selling off parts of his agriculture land during past few years. Now he was left with only three acre of land and was very troubled about his outstanding loan, family members said.

Similarly on Monday, farmer Duli Chand had consumed poison in Sehore. He owned Rs 6 lakh to banks and another Rs 2 lakh to moneylenders, sources said.

On June 9, a farmer in Raisen had commited suicide by consuming Celphos (pesticide) tablets. The 45-year-old farmer Kishanlal Meena of Sagonia in Deonagar had outstanding loan of Rs 10 lakh from a private bank, Rs 5 lakh loan from local moneylenders. Also he had Rs 2 lakh worth power bill dues and is survived by three marriageable daughters, police said.

Meanwhile there was report of suicide by another farmer Vijay Singh, 42, of village Jograkhedi in Icchawar of Sehore tehsil on June 9. He reportedly had an outstanding debt of Rs 10 lakh from bank and moneylenders, though exact reason of his suicide could not be ascertained.