Three Farmers Commit Suicide by Pesticide

The Hindu (India) 23mar02

ANANTAPUR — In the continuing disturbing trend of farmers' suicide out of distress resulting from successive crop failure and heavy debts, two more farmers ended life in Gorantla and Chennekothapalli mandals in the district last evening. While the first farmer immolated self, another consumed pesticide.

According to reports, Krishna Reddy (38) belonging to Pulakunta village of Anantapur Rural mandal, who had been cultivating a three-acre land taken on lease at Buganipalli in Gorantla mandal, besides his own land at Pulakunta, took the extreme step in the fields taken on lease.

Krishna Reddy doused himself with kerosene and torched to end life, according the Sub-Inspector of Gorantla, Mr. Surendra Babu. He died on the spot.

The farmer had taken three acres land on lease in Buganipalli as it is nearby Kaligiri, from where he has his wife, and as he had been suffering losses in the cultivation of his own land back in his native Pulakunta village.

Of the three acres taken on lease he had been cultivating sugarcane. He had made jaggery and sold it but did not get the money. Debts were piled up due to high investment in sugarcane cultivation and moneylenders had been harassing him to repay the loans in the recent weeks.

In another incident, one Ramalingaiah (35) committed suicide by consuming a pesticide in Parasannaipet in Chennekothapalli mandal last evening, also due to heavy debts.

According to reports, the farmer has four acres land but he had been suffering losses for the last few years due to crop failure.

The loans brought for cultivation and family needs piled up to Rs. 1.5 lakhs.

Thinking that he could not repay the loan even by selling his four acres land, the farmer consumed pesticide available in the house last evening, when his wife had been to neighbours. She returned to the screams of agony by her husband. He died on way to the Dharmavaram Government Hospital.

Our Karimnagar Staff Reporter writes:

A cotton farmer committed suicide by consuming pesticide in Gudatipalli village of Husnabad mandal last night due to increasing debts and failure of crop. Reports reaching here said B. Janardhan Reddy (50) had cultivated cotton in about 3 acres of land. Following pest attack, the crop failed.

source: http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/2002/03/23/stories/2002032302410400.htm 4oct04