Farmer suicides: Human rights body issues notice to Telangana government

New Delhi: National Human Rights Commission on Tuesday issued notice to Telangana government over the suicide committed by 76 farmers in the state over debt.

According to an official statement issued today, a notice has been issued in this regard to the Chief Secretary, Government of Telangana calling for a report in the matter within two weeks.

The notice was issued after the commission took suo motu cognizance of a media report that 76 farmers committed suicide in Telangana since its formation.

"Reportedly, thousands of farmers are caught in a vicious cycle of debts due to low yields or total crop failure and there was constant pressure from moneylenders and when it does not rain and crops start failing, all they can think of is escaping it by taking their own lives," the statement said.

The state government had announced a scheme of waiver of loan to farmers, but, an order issued by it on the August 13 stated that the scheme covers only institutional loans and not loans from non-institutional sources.

The Commission has observed that the contents of the press report, if true, raise a serious issue of violation of human rights of the farmers.