Over 60 farmers end life in Telangana as dry spell hit crops

Over 60 farmers have committed suicide in Telangana in August alone as a three-week dry spell damaging crops in 38 mandals in the State.

The Rythu JAC has asked the Government to disburse crop loans to all farmers, including the tenant farmers. The JAC decided to organise programmes across the State on October 2 demanding the government to address the crisis in the farm sector. They also called for a Chalo Hyderabad to bring pressure on the government.

A group of activists, representing Rythu Joint Action Committee (JAC) has visited 32 out of the 38 mandals that witnessed a long dry spell in the kharif. In a report they prepared after the visit, the activists alleged that the financial difficulties of farmers compounded as they were yet to receive the compensation for last year’s drought.

“They have not received the compensation for crop loss and input subsidy. Our survey revealed that most of the farmers had not received crop loans until mid-August and many of them have not yet received them even now. This has left them at the mercy of private moneylenders for loans at very high interest rates,” the report said.

Releasing the report here on Tuesday, Kodandaram, the Convener of Political JAC that spearheaded the Telangana movement, has asked the government to immediately disburse input subsidy to the farmers who lost crop in last year’s drought. “The government should give assurance of crop compensation to all farmers whose crop is damaged due to lack of rains this season and immediately begin assessment of damage to crops,” he said.

“The government must discuss the problems of farmers in the ensuing Assembly session,” Kiran Kumar Vissa of Rythu JAC said.

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