Photos: Maharashtra farmer suicides escalate after cotton crop damage | Hindustan Times
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Photos: Maharashtra farmer suicides escalate after cotton crop damage

Updated On Feb 16, 2018 01:47 PM IST

In January, 104 farmers committed suicide in Vidarbha, continuing the more than a decade-long trend of despair and distress in the face of agrarian uncertainties. While there could be several reasons behind the suicides, the pink bollworm attack, which has destroyed standing cotton crop across nearly 15 lakh hectares in the region, is being seen as the latest trigger in the vicious cycle.

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There was no letter left behind for his wife Vanita (L), two children and mother Anjana, when Dilip Gaikwad, a farmer from Chinchghat in Yavatmal, committed suicide by consuming pesticide on his farm following the pink bollworm outbreak. Latest data from Vidarbha and Marathwada, reveals that nearly 40 lakh cotton farmers have suffered losses in this pest outbreak. In January, 104 farmers with plights similar to Gaikwad’s committed suicide in Vidarbha. (Anshuman Poyrekar / HT Photo) expand-icon View Photos in a new improved layout
Updated on Feb 16, 2018 01:47 PM IST

There was no letter left behind for his wife Vanita (L), two children and mother Anjana, when Dilip Gaikwad, a farmer from Chinchghat in Yavatmal, committed suicide by consuming pesticide on his farm following the pink bollworm outbreak. Latest data from Vidarbha and Marathwada, reveals that nearly 40 lakh cotton farmers have suffered losses in this pest outbreak. In January, 104 farmers with plights similar to Gaikwad’s committed suicide in Vidarbha. (Anshuman Poyrekar / HT Photo)

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What Gaikwad did leave however, were 10 quintals of sub-grade cotton and a bank debt of Rs1.18 lakh. He had filed an application for a farm loan waiver, but till December-end, there was no confirmation whether he had been found eligible or not. Vandita and her 17-year-old son Vishal, now plan to work as agricultural labourers and use the family’s few assets to earn a living this year. (Anshuman Poyrekar / HT Photo) expand-icon View Photos in a new improved layout
Updated on Feb 16, 2018 01:47 PM IST

What Gaikwad did leave however, were 10 quintals of sub-grade cotton and a bank debt of Rs1.18 lakh. He had filed an application for a farm loan waiver, but till December-end, there was no confirmation whether he had been found eligible or not. Vandita and her 17-year-old son Vishal, now plan to work as agricultural labourers and use the family’s few assets to earn a living this year. (Anshuman Poyrekar / HT Photo)

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Ramdas Turi from Yavatmal district sets ablaze his pink bollworm infested cotton crop. Between 2001 and 2017, 16,912 farmers committed suicide in Vidarbha. So far, only two cases in January have been found eligible for the compensation of Rs1 lakh offered by the government for farmers’ suicides. The remaining are under various stages of inquiry by tehsildar’s offices across 11 districts. (Anshuman Poyrekar / HT Photo) expand-icon View Photos in a new improved layout
Updated on Feb 16, 2018 01:47 PM IST

Ramdas Turi from Yavatmal district sets ablaze his pink bollworm infested cotton crop. Between 2001 and 2017, 16,912 farmers committed suicide in Vidarbha. So far, only two cases in January have been found eligible for the compensation of Rs1 lakh offered by the government for farmers’ suicides. The remaining are under various stages of inquiry by tehsildar’s offices across 11 districts. (Anshuman Poyrekar / HT Photo)

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In Shendurjana Bazar village, Bhaskar (R) and Devku Asode have also been grieving their daughters – Madhuri, 24, and Swati, 21 – lost to suicide between October 2017 and January 2018. The family blames their struggle to survive with depleted farm income as the main reason behind the suicides. Madhuri’s case was not found eligible for compensation but they hope her sister’s case will be as she used to keep the family’s farm accounts. (Anshuman Poyrekar / HT Photo) expand-icon View Photos in a new improved layout
Updated on Feb 16, 2018 01:47 PM IST

In Shendurjana Bazar village, Bhaskar (R) and Devku Asode have also been grieving their daughters – Madhuri, 24, and Swati, 21 – lost to suicide between October 2017 and January 2018. The family blames their struggle to survive with depleted farm income as the main reason behind the suicides. Madhuri’s case was not found eligible for compensation but they hope her sister’s case will be as she used to keep the family’s farm accounts. (Anshuman Poyrekar / HT Photo)

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The Asodes survive on their one-acre land and income as agricultural labourers. Last year, they took on lease two acres, under an informal system, to cultivate cotton. In such agreements, the input cost is borne by the tiller and crop gets shared in a 50-50 basis with the land owner. But the government compensation will only go to the land owner and not the tiller, leaving cultivators like the Asodes without recourse. (Anshuman Poyrekar / HT Photo) expand-icon View Photos in a new improved layout
Updated on Feb 16, 2018 01:47 PM IST

The Asodes survive on their one-acre land and income as agricultural labourers. Last year, they took on lease two acres, under an informal system, to cultivate cotton. In such agreements, the input cost is borne by the tiller and crop gets shared in a 50-50 basis with the land owner. But the government compensation will only go to the land owner and not the tiller, leaving cultivators like the Asodes without recourse. (Anshuman Poyrekar / HT Photo)

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In nearby Mamdapura, Anita’s (C) husband and Aniket’s father, Ashok Kadu is another name on the list of farmers committing suicides after losses from cultivating two of Vidarbha’s main cash crops -- cotton and soyabean. His plans for further studies stalled, Aniket, 17, will now take up farming. Kishore Tiwari a veteran farmers’ leader said the state government had been cautioned about this disaster earlier but remained on the defensive about the scale of the pest attack. (Anshuman Poyrekar / HT Photo) expand-icon View Photos in a new improved layout
Updated on Feb 16, 2018 01:47 PM IST

In nearby Mamdapura, Anita’s (C) husband and Aniket’s father, Ashok Kadu is another name on the list of farmers committing suicides after losses from cultivating two of Vidarbha’s main cash crops -- cotton and soyabean. His plans for further studies stalled, Aniket, 17, will now take up farming. Kishore Tiwari a veteran farmers’ leader said the state government had been cautioned about this disaster earlier but remained on the defensive about the scale of the pest attack. (Anshuman Poyrekar / HT Photo)

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