By Pervez Bari, TwoCircles.net

Bhopal : Eleven more distressed cotton growing farmers in Vidarbha region of western Indian state of Maharashtra, mostly from Prime Minister relief package covered six districts of west Vidarbha, have committed suicides in last 72 hours.

According to Nagpur-based Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti, (VJAS), Press release now the total farmers' suicide since January 2007 has crossed 550 mark taking the toll to 551.

The Press release issued today stated that 1212 farmers have officially committed suicides after Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh had announced a relief package of Rs. 37,500 millions last June-July to tide over the ongoing Vidarbha farm crisis. Thus, this has not served any purpose to reduce the prevailing distress of the affected farmers.

The spiral suicides of Vidarbha farmers which claimed eleven more victims in last 72 hours are:- Dadarao Shembale of Chincholi & Vithal Dakhare of Bhendala (both in Yavatmal district), Sarangdhar Wasatkar of Chargaon, Dhondu Solanke of Ghota & Vijay Munde of village Karli (all three in Akola district), Shriram Kamble of Dahegaon, Vvilas Tekade Pimpri Purna & Prahlad Patil Belora (all three in Amravat district), Anad Ghege of Eranda &
Bandu Matange Kalmeshwar (both in Washim district) and Gajanan Ekanath Kothade of Elakhedi in Wardha district.

VJAS president Kishor Tiwari has urged Indian Prime Minister to intervene in this ongoing crisis in order to put a full stop to the farmers' suicides by granting their main demands of credit and restoration of advance bonus in the cotton monopoly scheme that is Rs. 2500/- per quintal along with food security and free health care, education and rural employment.

Since June 2005 the local media of Vidarbha region has been publishing the suicide news of debt-burdened and distressed farmers who are killing themselves for obvious reason of hostile conditions prevailing in the rural part of this region. Most of the victims of this agrarian crisis are in despair due to sudden huge drop in income whereas there is a massive increase in cost of health care, food and education along with introduction of free finance schemes of banks to give loans for motorbike, television sets and for mobiles too resulting in the complete failure of civil and social administration, the release stated.

After the introduction of most costly Bt. cotton in Vidarbha in June 2007 and the subsequent withdrawal of advance bonus in the cotton monopoly scheme that is Rs. 2500/- per quintal, the rural economy has collapsed, the release charged. According to official reports million of cotton farmers are in deep distress and this agrarian crisis may go out of control of civil
administration, the release apprehended. (pervezbari@eth.net)