4 farmers commit suicide on Rakshabandhan day in Vidarbha-Pradip Kumar Maitra, Hindustan Times

Pradip Kumar Maitra, Hindustan Times

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Nagpur, August 06, 2009

4 farmers commit suicide on Rakshabandhan day in Vidarbha

http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/Print.aspx?Id=d4a1f488-888c-450f-ade7-3bbb9b52650b

It was an endless wait for sisters of four different families, who, like every year, looked forward to the arrival of their brothers with sweets, rakhi and vermillion on Rakshabandhan. But fate had planned otherwise. They, all from different parts of western Vidarbha, waited for their brothers who were cotton farmers. These four farmers committed suicide due to sudden crop failure.

According to reports reaching here on Wednesday, the victims were identified as: Ramdas Pawar of Chirkuta (Yavatmal), Madan Andale, Pimpalgaon (Amravati), Prakash Kokate of Gaigaon and Dadarao Mankar, Hiwarkhed (both Akola). While Ramdas ended his life by swallowing poison, Dadarao and Prakash committed suicide by hanging themselves. Madan Andale killed himself by jumping into a well. All the victims have ended their lives because of huge debts and agrarian crisis. With the deaths of these farmers, the toll has risen to 7 this month while the figure was 36 last month.

According to Vidarbha Janandolan Samiti which has been documenting farmers’ suicide since 2001, as many as 288 farmers killed themselves this year while the figure was 784 last year. In 2007, as many as 1044 farmers committed suicide in Vidarbha region, it claimed.

Kishore Tiwari of the Samiti informed that all traditional cotton growers were under huge debt and lost standing crops after the dry spell of rain and pest attack. Drought may bring acute drinking water problem, food and health crisis. Administration should act fast to stop innocent victimization of distressed cotton farmers. The state should immediately provide food security, employment and debt reconstruction to bail out the debt-ridden farmers of Vidarbha, insisted Tiwari.

The delayed monsoon arrival and irregular showers in June and 15 days dry spell as there is no rain in most of part of Vidarbha has created serious panic among farmers as if there are no showers in next seven days then there will server drought this year.

The samiti sent a memorandum to the chief minister Ashok Chavan in this regard, urging to bail out the crisis-ridden farmers who are facing drought-like situation in the region.

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Four vidarbha cotton farmers commit suicide in day on the eve Raksha Bandhan

Drought Prone Condition in Vidarbha - Crop over 3.2.Million Hector is in Danger

Nagpur, Aug.5,2009

On the eve of first big festival of after the start of monsoon “Rakha Bandhan-Rakhi” ,four cotton farmers committed suicides due to sudden crop failure ,as per the reports the fresh victims of on going agararian crisis in vidarbha are

1.Ramdas Pawar in Yavatmal

2.Madan Andale in Amaravati

3.Prakash Kokate in Akola

4.Dadarao Mankar in Akola

All traditional cotton growers under huge debt and lost standing crops after the dry spell of rain and pest attack.

‘It’s unfortunate that spiral farm suicide in west may restart due to very high investments in standing cotton crop and erratic behavior of rain god, in vidarbha not only crop condition but whole region is in economic crisis. Drought may bring unusual drinking water, power, food and health crisis, administration should act fast to stop innocent victimization of distressed cotton farmer to avoid the suicide like extremity by providing immediate relief of food security, employment, debt reconstruction’ Kishor Tiwari of Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti informed in press note today

thodelayed monsoon arrival and irregular showers in June and 15 days dry spell as there is no rain in most of part of vidarbha has created serious panic in more than 3 million farmers as if there are no showers in next seven days then there will server drought this year ,drought prone condition has increased despair and gloom allover vidarbha as cotton-soyabean-paddy crop over 3.2.million hector is in danger , Mohan Jadhav secretary of Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti futher added press note today.

VJAS team after touring vidarbha in a memorandum to chief minister of Maharashtra Ashok Chavan urged to act on dought prone condition of vidarbha as farmers complain despite their prevailing condition there has been no help forthcoming from Government.

Soyabean farmers in Vidarbha region of Maharashtra are most effected due to dual nature of hardship as complete soyabean in vidarbha under 1.6 million hector has been attacked by semilooper pests. farmers already spent huge amount of money on semilooper pest management but it has destroyed soyabean plants at massive scale but administration aid is till awaited .VJAS urged chief minister to arrange requisite help to dying soyabean growers of vidarbha..

This year in vidarbha record 2 million hector area is under Bt.cotton cultivation which required assured rain and intensive care for harvesting and sudden climate change after dry spell of 15 days ,there is massive attack of mealy bug on cotton crop coupled with root rot disease damaging the standing cotton crop beyond repair ,this has increased input cost of cultivation to large extent and will drop down the yield too, memorandum added.

“Vidarbha farmers are facing very difficult time not only due to first delayed monsoon and now no rain and massive attack of pest and mealy bug but severe shortage of urea and fertilizer black-marketing is adding fuel their hardship. vidarbha farmers needs food security and health care to avoid distress being converted into extremity of suicide as recommended by Prof.Narendra Jadhav Committee Report ”Kishore Tiwari urged the administration.

“All political leaders are election mood which due in October but nobody is looking serious issue of dying farmers if this dry spell is continued then not only all standing crops will be damaged 100% but there will be big problem of drinking water and fodder to cattle. it’s high time for Govt. to act” Mohan Jadhav secretary of VJAS added in press note .

Posted by PLEASE SAVE VIDARBHA FARMER

GM Seed is killer seed of vidarbha cotton farmers-VJAS

GM Seed is killer seed of vidarbha cotton farmers-VJAS

GM Seed is killer seed of vidarbha cotton farmers-VJAS

Nagpur-2^nd August 2009

Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti(VJAS) has been working as watchdog to follow the on going agrarian crisis and cotton farmers suicides since 1997 and has been raising the farm suicides issue at all redressal forum in India and world.

VJAS is official litigant in Mumbai High Court, NHRC-Humam Right Commission both at state and national level and we have been documenting the all most all cotton farmers suicides in west vidarbha since June 2005 hence we have legitimate morality to talk with proper authority to support this serious allegation that GM seed has been one of major cause of cotton farmers suicides after the official commercial trials of Bt.cotton was permitted in June 2005 .

In the year the 2005 Monsanto American company was allowed to sale Bt.coton seed at the price fixed by company and was officially marketed by state own seed corporation MAHABEEJ,Union Minister for Agriculture Sharad Pawar toured vidarbha in June 2005 to promote Bt.cotton seed along with his counter part Agriculture Minister of Maharashtra Balasaheb Throat.VJAS had raised objections on the controversial commercial trials of Bt.cotton cultivation in dry land area of west vidarbha and rates fixed by Monsanto as total Bt. Cotton failed in year 2005 in west vidarbha due attack of lalya disease and Govt. of Maharashtra compensated the damages as failure of Bt.cotton that triggered mass farmers suicides in October-2005 and in December 2005 Maharashtra Govt. officially admitted that more than 1000 cotton farmers suicides west vidarbha due Bt.cotton failure and declared Rs.1070 crore relief package but the financial losses and economic damages to cotton farmers were too huge to stop take extreme step of suicide and that started spiral of cotton farmers suicides which is till continue and the series of relief packages to the cotton farmers are also continue but as on today all efforts are futile and result less but VJAS wants to discuss some of facts Bt.cotton cultivation in west vidarbha which are

1.At present area under bt.cotton cultivation is almost 2 million hector which was only 4 lacs hector in 2005.ther is established monopoly of American company Monsanto and farmer in west vidarbha has no option to buy BT.cotton seed at the rate fixed by this MNC.

2.Cotton farmers general opinion is that Monsanto BT.cotton assured irrigated land yield of this cotton is optimum but in dry land cultivation it’s loss making crop in fact Monsanto is also not recommending the cultivation of Bt.cotton till they are marketing in the west vidarbha where 98% land is non-irrigated and dry land .

3.As per official record consumption of pesticide and fertilizer has drastically increased in this area where bt.cotton is cultivated. Pesticide and fertilizer are forcibly recommended by GM seed company and most of time recommended pesticide and fertilizer names are printed on Bt.cotton seed pocket.

4.As per official data the cotton production after introduction of bt.cotton cultivation since 2005 onward has been gradually decreased .

5.Number farm suicides in west vidarbha is more than 1200 every year 100 or 200 more or less and distress level and debt crisis is till very critical.

6.Now there is monopoly of American mncs in the input and output produce and cotton farmer of vidarbha are working like slaves on their filed.

7.Niether economic condition of cotton farmer has changed even though Indian Govt. Has pumped more than Rs.16,000 crores for 2 million farmers but it failed to address the issue of farm suicides and agrarian crisis.

VJAS has been demanding the complete ban on monopoly input items of MNC which are seed ,pesticide and fertilizer and ban on subsidized US raw cotton trade to Indian textile industry but Govt. failed to take these corrective steps hence cotton farmers suicides are till continue in vidarbha. Everybody knows Union Minister Sharda Pawar has wasted interest in these American companies and we have made these allegations along with all earlier allegation against these MNCs in our various petitions on affidavit with all set of documents to stop their Indian operation as suicides of vidarbha cotton farmers are not suicides these are mass genocides done by these MNCs and minister like sharda pawar are co-accused .

VJAS has track of all Bt. Cotton growers in vidarbha who has cultivated this killer GM seed and then committed suicide due to huge losses in the cultivation or crop failure due to basically dry land farming not suited for this highly sensitive Bt.cotton seed.

Thousands of tribals and deprived class cotton farmers have already become innocent victim of this BT.cotton seed which popularly known as killer seed in this year.

Now issue of toxicity of Bt.cotton is much more discussed as in west vidarbha after June 2005 after commercial trials of Bt.cottton started the public health crisis has matter of concern ,there are new virus like chikun gunia has done massive damage now cancer is one killer disease reported in this area where as mealy bug has already spread all over forest of vidarbha and only time will tell us damage being done by this mealy bug gifted Monsanto .

VJAS is purely activist group not NGO and we are not taking any fund from any agency or company hence we are not having any wasted interest in this American Monsanto bt.cotton seed controversy but in fact vertical and horizontal monopoly of these MNCs which is killing thousands of innocent cotton farmers of vidarbha is truth and time will prove this ,may GOD save vidarbha cotton farmers.

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kishore tiwari-mobile09422108846

Posted by VIDARBHA FARMER SUICIDE at 1:37 PM

President asked to preserve Tadoba-Andhari Tiger reserve forest-All Voices Reports.

President asked to preserve Tadoba-Andhari Tiger reserve forest

http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/3801024-president-asked-to-preserve-tadobaandhari-tiger-reserve-forest

The Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti (VJAS) has drawn the attention of the President Pratibha Patil for urgent intervention in the very serious issue of the colossal damage that the Adani mines would cause in the vicinity of the famous Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR). A whopping 1,600 hectares of the land allocated to the private company supports rich forest from which over 12 lakh full grown trees will be cut down for the mining work,

It said that the biodiversity mainly comprises 18 animal species, nine of which including tiger and leopard are endangered species, 75 species of trees, 35 species of shrubs and herbs, 16 species of bamboo and grass and 21 species of climbers costing more than Rs.3 billion.

VJAS has mentioned the reference complete public support of Chandrapur district environmentalists, now seven MPs from Vidarbha region joined hands to show their support to the cause of protecting last remaining tiger havens in the country.

The MPs from the region, forgetting their political affiliations, Congress MPs led by Vilas Muttemwar (Nagpur), Datta Meghe (Wardha), Marotrao Kowase (Gadchiroli) , BJP's Hansraj Ahir (Chandrapur) , Sanjay Dhotre (Akola) and Shiv Sena's Anandrao Adsul (Amravati) and Pratap Jadhav (Buldhana) joined hands to show their support to the cause.

VJAS has attached copy of a joint letter of these M.P.s to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh drawing his attention to the colossal damage that the Adani mines would cause in the vicinity of the famous Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR).

As per letter handed over to the PM by Dutta Meghe and Sanjay Dhotre, two prominent leaders from Vidarbha, it is reported that "Adani Power Ltd has been allocated 1,750 hectares of rich forest land having coal reserves at Lohara neat Tadoba. We are of the considered view, based on incontrovertible information, that operation of the proposed opencast coal mine will cause irreparable damage to the rich biodiversity in and around TATR and seriously endanger the very existence of the tiger. There are 45 tigers in the reserve forest, rated as the best in the country in terms of tiger density,"

Throwing light of serious impact of damage letter further adds that’s whopping 1,600 hectares of the land allocated to the private company supports rich forest from which over 12 lakh full grown trees will be cut down for the mining work, The biodiversity mainly comprises 18 animal species, nine of which including tiger and leopard are endangered species, 75 species of trees, 35 species of shrubs and herbs, 16 species of bamboo and grass and 21 species of climbers. As per the environmental impact analysis, the environmental cost would be a mind boggling Rs 2.78 billion.

It is reported in the media that the mining operation sp close to a protected forest negates the government's very own conservation policy on which billions are spent to protect tigers. VJAS has urged the President to look in to MPS suggestion that Adani Power Group can be given an re-allocated some alternatives mining blocks or links where there is no damage to forest and wildlife.

Otherwise, it said that the company may be advised to use coal which it regularly imports for the proposed power plant to come up at Tiroda in Gondia district. This way power can be produced without sacrificing rich forests, rare biodiversity and endangered tiger.

VJAS president Kishore Tiwari said that the EIA and Adani group coal block controversy is not new. He alleged that the NCP leader and union minister for civil aviation Praffull Patel has played key role to clear this coal block hence his name is missing from the letter. He said that they have proof to alleged massive corruption and active role of Adani’s Election Fund to Congress and NCP to get EIA clearance. (EOM)

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pl log on
http://vidarbhatimes.blogspot.com/2009/07/coal-mining-threatens-tigers-in.html

to get details of issue,

regards,

kishortiwari@gmail.com

contact-09422108846

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save climate-save farmer

NREGS: The truth is in the lies-Times of India

Printed from

NREGS: The truth is in the lies

Sunil Warrier, Snehlata Shrivastav and Ranjit Deshmukh, TNN 15 July 2009, 04:18am IST

PANDHARKAWDA (Yavatmal district): As we prepared to turn back to Nagpur after visiting three villages in this suicide capital of Maharashtra, an agitated voice on the phone of our host prompted us to give it a hearing. A former sarpanch, the voice is now an NCP activist. He was well informed about various government schemes meant for the poor. He had a telling comment to make.

"If the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme is implemented the right way, there will be no need for MP and MLAs funds," he said with complete conviction.

Look at the figures: At Rs 2 crore per 543 MP, the allocation comes to Rs 1086 crore (most times this remains underutilized). In his budget, finance minister Pranab Mukherjee has increased the NREGA allocation by 144% and it's now Rs 39,100 crore.

Had all the money been put to use, there would perhaps been no rickety roads in India. Not every road can be a Mumbai-Pune Expressway but certainly it would have connected many remote and inaccessible villages and brought them on the national motor map. Hidden somewhere between the humongous figures are some lies and half-truths about the UPA's flagship scheme that was meant to provide employment and minimum wage of Rs 100 per day for at least 100 days in a year.

We deliberately chose villages around Pandharkawda. At the height of the agrarian crisis last year, this district created maximum farmer widows. Jalka, where Rahul Gandhi's Kalavati stays, and Sonkhas, where Shashikala resides, is just round the corner. We also deliberately chose not to visit these two villages.

At Mandoli, we encountered Bhimrao Atram creating an embankment to prevent water from gushing into the agricultural fields. The village, largely comprising the Kollam tribe, is Atram's sasural. No, he hasn't heard of the complicated acronym N-R-E-G-S. He is content earning between Rs 65 and Rs 90 per day from the farm owners. He manages to keep his family of four (wife and three children) sufficiently well fed.

However, his neighbours have. Some have paid Rs 100 to get the brochure-looking impeccably maintained registration book which allows you to fill in many details but is strangely blank. The truth: "Who do I approach for the job?" "What kind of jobs are available?" "Are jobs available at all?" "No, I didn't try asking for any job." "There was no publicity about the scheme." From blatant ignorance to utter disregard.

Next stop Wanzari, a little beyond Mandoli. Only a few elders are present as most are working as farmhands. A village elder informs that village and government officials had publicised the scheme. "Many enrolled but only a few sought work when they came to know that largely it involved breaking down stones. Youngsters, though illiterate, want to have fun and not perform hard labour," he said. "Moreover, work under the scheme should be undertaken when we are not working in the farms. If we have work in the farms who will go seeking other work?"

A lady interrupted saying she had actually got work under the scheme. She worked exactly for a day and is still awaiting payment for it.

"Most government officials do not give publicity to the scheme as they want to show that labour is not easily available," said Kishor Tiwari, convenor of the NGO, Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti, which is working for the cause of the farmers. "By doing so they are able to complete projects hiring machines which are owned by politicians and are lying around in large numbers."

Mahrashtra Bank Pandharkawada disburesed 200% crop loan -VJAS

Mahrashtra Bank Pandharkawada disburesed 200% crop loan -VJAS

Mahrashtra Bank Pandharkawada disburesed 200% crop loan in this khariff season where as farmers are finding very difficult to get crop loan from other state owned bank and there is big protest is going on for fresh crop loan. VJAS has thanked Mahrashtra Bank Pandharkawada manager Naresh Gokhale for his hard work and sincere efforts to give fresh farm credit to distressed cotton farmers and urged all other bankers to follow the crop loan disbursement pattern