Karnataka: Post election, solution to loan issue remains elusive for kin of dead farmer

As the wait prolongs, a legal notice from a bank demanding repayment of loan has hit the family like a thunder, pushing them to a brink of uncertainty with no immediate relief in sight.
Karnataka: Post election, solution to loan issue remains elusive for kin of dead farmer

MANDYA: When BJP national president Amit Shah called on the next of kin of farmer Rajendra at Chinnenahalli in K Shettahalli hobli in Srirangaptna taluk in the district ahead of the recently-concluded general elections, family members of deceased farmer saw a ray of hope. However, all promises seem to have fallen flat as a month has elapsed since the elections concluded on May 12 and the relatives of the deceased farmer are still waiting for the who’s who of the saffron party to come to their rescue. As the wait prolongs, a legal notice from a bank demanding repayment of loan has hit the family like a thunder, pushing them to a brink of uncertainty with no immediate relief in sight.

The manager of Canara Bank, Srirangapatna branch, has served a legal notice (dated May 26) to Sunandamma, wife of late Rajendra and her son Madhu to settle crop loan arrears of Rs 90,000 that has accrued up to Rs 1,06,459 as on May 24 with further interest at the rate of 10.35% per annum. The loan was advanced on September 19, 2014. Though the notice was received on June 5 with a rider to repay within seven days of receipt of the same, the mother and son duo are hapless. Though they refrained from repaying the amount, they can’t evade legal action as bank authorities have also warned of filing a suit against them in case of any failure on their part to heed notice.

Madhu told TNIE, “When there is nothing in hand, how can I respond to the notice of bank authorities. They had also come to our house earlier demanding repayment of loan amount. Now it’s not just the legal notice, even money-lenders have been frequenting demanding settlement of arrears.”

Madhu added, “Though the compensation of Rs 5 lakh received from the government earlier helped in clearing loans to an extent, including Rs 2 lakh mortgage loan owed to same bank, there was no end to mounting troubles. Amid this, I had also paid pending interest amount of Rs 12,000 accrued up to two years, towards the same loan amount. The standing sugarcane crop on 1.28 acres of land that will be harvested in December is also not expected to fetch good returns due to volatile market and unscientific per tonne price of sugarcane. Even if supplying the same to jaggery makers can be an alternative, it is nothing but a disaster again, with dip in jaggery prices.”

Explaining the gravity of situation he is in, Madhu said, “The 50 coconut trees in the same land that were earlier leased out to another party with assured sum of a few thousands of rupees  per month that was helpful in maintaining the family expenditure, has also slipped. The same amount is being adjusted for the rate of interest to be paid to money-lenders.”

Amid this, irregular payment of monthly salary has added to the woes of Madhu who is working as a motor operator at Sriranapatna town municipal council on a contract basis. It’s paid in bulk once in two months and the situation remains the same with Madhu yet to get his  salary for the month of May, even after completing 14th day of the present month of June on Thursday .When asked why can’t he approach the politicians who came calling to his house during elections, Madhu who sounded firm said, “I will not go to them.”

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