The BJP on Monday slammed the State Government for the delay in providing compensation to the farmers who have sustained crop loss due to cyclone Phailin and the subsequent floods.
Claiming that two distressed farmers of Gajapati and Subarnapur districts committed suicide recently due to crop loss and loan burden, president of BJP’s farmers wing Maheswar Sahu said the Government is yet to visit the family members of the deceased farmers.
Ruturaj Dalai (55) of Gurandi village under Gosani block of Gajapati district and Suadam Pradhan (40), a resident of Manikpur village under Birmaharajpur block of Subarnapur district allegedly committed suicide by consuming pesticide on December 11 and 13 respectively. Even as the Government refused to recognise the two incidents as cases of suicide due to crop loss, people of the two villages confirmed to a BJP delegation led by Sahu that the two farmers took the extreme steps due crop loss and loan burden. Family members of Dalai told the delegation that he had taken credit of nearly `1 lakh for raising paddy crops in his four acres of land. Dalai was completely broken after he lost the crops to Phailin. He was found in a serious condition in his paddy field on December 11. He was taken to the local primary health centre and later shifted to Parlakhmundi Government hospital. But, he died on way to hospital.
Pradhan committed suicide by consuming pesticide after he lost paddy crops due to flash flood. He died in the local hospital.
The BJP demanded a compensation of `5 lakh to each family and other assistance for rabi crops.