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What is TN govt doing to prevent farmer suicides? Madras High Court demands affidavit

The Madras High Court on Thursday directed the Tamil Nadu government to file an affidavit with regard to steps taken to prevent farmer suicides in the state.

This comes in the wake over 60 farmers killing themselves or dying out of shock owing to crop failure following poor rainfall.

A PIL was filed by Tamil Nadu Centre for Public Interest Litigation represented by KK Ramesh, Managing Trustee, seeking to set up an expert committee to create awareness among the farmers about the latest technology for agriculture.

The PIL came for hearing before the first bench comprising of Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice M Sundar on Thursday. The bench stated, “We would like the state government to place on record the steps which have been taken and their policy in the matter and the affidavit should be filed within four weeks.”

The petitioner while referring to various media reports in his petition submitted that due to failure of North-East monsoon and South-West monsoon for the past three years, agriculture in Tamil Nadu has been badly affected. Moreover, lakhs of agricultural labourers lost their jobs and in some places, they even migrated to other districts, the petition stated.

The petitioner also noted that in some of districts in Tamil Nadu, farmers took their own lives as they were unable to repay the loan.  

He also stated that the main cause for farmer suicides is water shortage and crop failure.

The petitioner added that he had already made a detailed representation to the state government on August 18, 2016. But having received no response, he was forced to file a PIL.

He sought for a direction from the court to set up an expert committee in each district across Tamil Nadu to stop the farmer suicides.

According to media reports, more than 60 farmers have committed suicide in the last two months. The National Crime Records Bureau report states that  12,602 farmers and agricultural labourers killed themselves in 2015 in India with 606 suicides being recorded in Tamil Nadu.

Source: The News Minute