Can’t give government jobs to kin of farmers: Karnataka Agriculture Minister Krishna Byre Gowda

Bengaluru/Hubballi: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s job offers to the kin of farmers who committed suicide notwithstanding, agriculture minister Krishna Byre Gowda said it would be impossible to accommodate them in the government jobs under the current rules and procedures.

Speaking to this newspaper, Mr. Krishna Byre Gowda said the Chief Minister made such an offer during his visit to Mandya on Sunday but it would be next to impossible for the government to hire the kin of such victims. On the other hand, his department has directed deputy commissioners concerned to submit an informal report to the state government after paying a visit to the homes of farmers who ended their lives. The officers should submit their report within a fortnight and explain the exact cause of death, he added.

Besides, the department has also asked the University of Agricultural Sciences (UAS) to get information from its extension centers regarding the cause of death of farmers.

“Agriculture university’s research experts can unearth the real cause of death by adopting proper research methodology. We will take their assistance in this regard. After obtaining information from both sides, the government will take a decision whether to constitute an expert committee to probe the farmers suicide or not,” the minister added.

In one case, the farmer owned two acres of agricultural land, but committed suicide because of losses sustained in coconut business.

In a couple of other cases, though initially they were bracketed as suicide, report of post-mortem examination revealed cardiac arrest as the cause of death. The government would be able to provide the exact figure in terms of number of suicides by farmers only after receiving reports from the Forensic Science Lab (FSL), the minister added.

Four more farmers end lives

Four more farmer deaths were reported in the state on Monday. A farmer with Rs 6.20 lakh loans, committed suicide by hanging at his house in Dodda Alahalli in Kanakapura taluk of Ramanagar district Monday evening. The deceased farmer, Shashikumar, 35 was into sericulture and had suffered losses.

A debt-ridden sugarcane grower committed suicide in Surapali village of Jamkhandi taluk in Bagalkot district on Monday. The deceased, identified as Mallappa Gadakar, 60, consumed poison with a notice issued by the bank in his pocket. He had taken Rs 1.84 lakh loan from State Bank of India. The farmer had supplied sugarcane to Nirani Sugar Industries Limited belonging to BJP leader Murugesh Nirani and Sree Renuka Sugars situated in Athani taluk of Belagavi district.

Family sources said he was depressed because of the bank notices and the failure of both sugar factories to pay his arrears. Meanwhile, two farmers committed suicide in Belagavi district upset over the delay by sugar factories in making payments for the sugarcane they supplied. 65-year-old cane grower Gundu Kadoli from Savadi, near Athani consumed poison and died while Tatappa Patil (36) from Hukkeri who had consumed poison eight days ago died on Monday.

Kadoli was upset over non-payment of bills by private sugar factories and Patil waited in vein for the factories to pay his dues.