3 farmers die by suicide in flood-affected areas

People in the know have told HT that adhering to government’s rules, authorities of various departments such as agriculture, revenue, along with police officers from respective police stations, will submit their reports to the district administration after investigating the financial situation of the farmers, the size of their farmlands and crop losses

MUMBAI: Unprecedented rainfall leading to flooding and subsequent crop loss in several parts of the state is taking a toll on hapless farmers. In the last 24 hours two farmers died by suicide in Solapur and another in Dharashiv districts.

In the last 24 hours two farmers died by suicide in Solapur and another in Dharashiv districts. (PTI)

One of them, a 45-year-old, from Solapur’s Dahitane village had lost crops on his one-and-a-half acres of land. He left behind a suicide note which read: “I am frustrated due to the loss of crop in floods and decided to die by suicide. The chief minister should take the responsibility of my children’s education.”

He is survived by his three children and his wife. Another farmer, 39-year-old, from Barshi village in the same district, took his life after losing crop in his three-and-a-half acres of land. He has two children and a wife. In Bhoom village of Dharashiv district 42-year-old a farmer died by suicide after he lost crops on his two and half acres of land.

An official from the district administration, who did not wish to be quoted, shared that all three farmers died by suicide by hanging themselves from trees.

People in the know have told HT that adhering to government’s rules, authorities of various departments such as agriculture, revenue, along with police officers from respective police stations, will submit their reports to the district administration after investigating the financial situation of the farmers, the size of their farmlands and crop losses.

After the reports are submitted, a committee under the district collector will determine if respective death cases were indeed cases of suicide, so that eligible families can get compensation.

Meanwhile, the state relief and rehabilitation department also recorded two deaths in the span of the last 24 hours, due to rain-related incidents.

Till Thursday morning, 1238 were rescued in Parbhani district and 58 in Nanded. In Solapur 4350 people from the flood-affected 792 villages have been given shelter along with food and water by district administration. Authorities from the district administrations have expedited the process of carrying out the panchnamas so that farmers can be compensated soon. The deadline for the submission of the panchnamas is Monday.