Seven Vidarbha cotton farmers end lives in 24 hrs

The seven farmers, including one woman, had availed of loans from banks or private moneylenders and they were unable to repay the same due to crop failure, reports Pradip Kumar Maitra.

Deep in debt, they chose to end their lives.

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Seven farmers from Vidarbha region committed suicide in 24 hours till Wednesday evening.

The seven farmers, including one woman, had availed of loans from banks or private moneylenders and they were unable to repay the same due to crop failure.

While four of the victims ended their lives by consuming pesticide, the woman farmer set herself ablaze at her residence, late on Tuesday.

Collector of Yavatmal district, Sanjay Deshmukh, confirmed reports of five farmer suicides in the district on Wednesday.

“We have not been able to get details of the cause of the suicides,” said Deshmukh. “Family members of the deceased have been busy with the last rites.”

Among the latest suicides, five were in Yavatmal — the region’s most suicide-prone district. One each was reported from Wardha and Gondia.

The region’s farmer suicide toll due to the agrarian crisis has touched 42 so far this month while the figure for last month stood at 54, according to the Vidarbha Janandolan Samiti. The organisation has been documenting farmer suicides since 2001.

This year, 154 cotton farmers have ended their lives in Yavatmal district while 142 were from Amravati.

This year, Vidarbha’s cotton crop has turned out to be a killer for many a farmer. The failed monsoon has had a drastic impact on the cotton yield.