Hyderabad: Over 230 suicides by farmers have been reported since Telangana was formed four months ago. At least three suicides are being reported every day. The failure of crops due to lack of rainfall, power supply and delay in implementing the crop loan waiver scheme are stated to be the reasons.
On Sunday, five suicides were reported from Adilabad, Nalgonda, Mahbubnagar and Karimnagar. Out of the 230 deaths so far, only 70 were registered as distress suicides. The victims’ families claim that all the deaths were due to failure of crops and inability to repay debts. They alleged that the government was avoiding recording the suicides as being the result of distress.
Over 30 suicides, have been reported from Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao’s home district Medak, mostly from Gajwel, Dubbaka and Siddipet. Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao is planning to tour the districts to instil confidence among farmers besides sending ministers to counter the onslaught by the Opposition TD and Congress. Both parties have toured districts and offered financial assistance to the families.
Irrigation minister Harish Rao lashed out at the Congress and TD for politicising farmers sucides.
“It’s ridiculous that Congress and TD, which are responsible for the power woes in Telangana with their years of misrule, are taking up yatras to console farmers in distress,” Mr Harish Rao said.
"They are not trying to build confidence among farmers but are creating panic among them and prompting them to commit suicide. All our ministers and MLAs will soon visit districts and explain the facts to farmers about who is responsible for this present crisis and the measures being taken by the CM to improve power supply in a short period."
Congress leader and MLC Shabbir Ali, who is involved in district tours, said, "Telangana has never witnesses such largescale suicides in such a short period due to erratic power supply. Not only suicides, several farmers have died after receiving electrical shocks as power is being supplied during odd hours. The TRS government has to take responsibility for the deaths of farmers during the last four months."
"TRS government has spent the last four months with Bonalu and Bathukamma festivals. It has money to release Rs 10 crore for Bathukamma and Rs 30 crore for Bonalu and Ramzan. But it has no money to offer help for distressed farmers who are committing suicide. The inexperience of TRS government in administration is clearly evident with its failure in handling the power issue effectively," said TD MLA A. Revanth Reddy.
Though TRS government had promised the crop loan waiver scheme, it has only paid 25 per cent of the total Rs 17,000 crore arrears so far. The farmers are yet to receive fresh loans as the banks are refusing lend on grounds that they have not received any communication on the matter so far.
“It’s ridiculous that Congress and TD, which are responsible for the power woes in Telangana with their years of misrule, are taking up yatras to console farmers in distress," said irrigation minister T. Harish Rao.
“They are not trying to build confidence among farmers but are creating panic among them and prompting them to commit suicide. All our ministers and MLAs will soon visit districts and explain the facts to farmers about who is responsible for this present crisis and the measures being taken by the CM to improve power supply in a short period.”
Congress leader and MLC Shabbir Ali, who is involved in district tours, said, “Telangana has never witnesses such largescale suicides in such a short period due to erratic power supply. Not only suicides, several farmers have died after receiving electrical shocks as power is being supplied during odd hours. The TRS government has to take responsibility for the deaths of farmers during the last four months.”
“TRS government has spent the last four months with Bonalu and Bathukamma festivals. It has money to release Rs 10 crore for Bathukamma and Rs 30 crore for Bonalu and Ramzan. But it has no money to offer help for distressed farmers who are committing suicide. The inexperience of TRS government in administration is clearly evident with its failure in handling the power issue effectively,” said TD MLA A. Revanth Reddy.
Though TRS government had promised the crop loan waiver scheme, it has only paid 25 per cent of the total Rs 17,000 crore arrears so far. The farmers are yet to receive fresh loans as the banks are refusing lend on grounds that they have not received any communication on the matter so far.
