Hyderabad: The Hyderabad High Court on Tuesday asked both TS and AP states to take steps to provide relief within three days to families of farmers who committed suicide.
A division bench, comprising Acting Chief Justice Dilip B. Bhosale and Justice S.V. Bhatt, was dealing with a batch of petitions seeking to direct the TS and AP governments to take steps to prevent farmer suicides.
The bench advised the two states to pay compensation through the online system instead through cheques as there were allegations that officials were demanding 20 per cent of the compensation as bribe to clear the cheques. The two states were told to take steps and build confidence in farmers.
Recalling a taken up case on alleged fixing of “bribe rates” by the authorities in Mahbubnagar , the bench suggested both the states to make available the phone numbers of senior officers so that complaints can be sent to them directly.
Stressing the need for preventive measures rather than giving compensation to the kin of farmers who end their lives, the bench asked the two states to widely publicise programmes being implemented for the welfare of farmers and also start help lines for farmers.
The two states were told to create awareness among farmers of their rights.
P. Venugopal, advocate-general of AP, expressed regret for senior officers not being present on Monday when the matter was heard by the bench. Explaining steps taken by the government, he said that they have started help lines and arranged toll-free numbers and distributing pamphlets publicising the welfare schemes.
Special counsel for TS S. Sharath Kumar submitted that the government was prepared to implement the suggestions of Prof. Kodandaram for the welfare of farmers.
Balaji Vadera, counsel for one of the petitioners, placed a note before the bench enclosing a news report carried in these columns about suicides of 13 farmers in one day in TS.
Citing the variations in statistics placed by the government before the court, he said that it appears that the intention of the government was to decrease the number of farmers who committed suicide and not attempt to decrease the farmer suicides in the state.
C. Damodar Reddy and B. Rachana Reddy counsels for petitioners, and P. Srihari Rao, party in person, placed several suggestions before the court to prevent farmer suicides.
Dispensing the presence of agriculture principal secretary of AP, the bench adjourned the hearing for two weeks.
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