Fearing crop loss for mositure stress, farmer attempts suicide

A 63-year-old farmer of Nagupada village under Jaipatna block allegedly attempted suicide apprehending crop loss on Friday night.
Krupa Naik at the VSS Medical in Burla
Krupa Naik at the VSS Medical in Burla

BHAWANIPATNA: A 63-year-old farmer of Nagupada village under Jaipatna block allegedly attempted suicide apprehending crop loss on Friday night. The farmer, Krupa Naik, is undergoing treatment at VSS Medical in Burla.

Krupa had grown paddy and pulses in four acres of land but due to erratic rainfall, his crops faced acute moisture stress and there was no hope for even average yield. Krupa had taken loan of `20,000 from Indian Overseas Bank for raising the crops.

Frustrated by crop loss, he purchased pesticide from Jaipatna and consumed it. His family members admitted him to Jaipatna Community Health Centre from where he was shifted to Bhawanipatna Government Hospital. Late in the night, he was again shifted to VSS Medical as doctors could not ascertain the nature of poisoning and there was no ventilator in the hospital.

Two ended lives  in four months

In the last four months, two farmers have allegedly ended their lives over crop loss due to moisture stress condition. In fact, moisture stress condition of crops has been reported from many parts of Koksara block. Parmeswar Lahajal, aged 26, of Gambhariguda village under Koksara block, 60 km from the district headquarters town, had allegedly committed suicide by consuming poison over crop damage on October 25. Parmeswar was landless but cultivated paddy as a sharecropper. His crops faced acute moisture stress condition due to erratic rain and he had apprehended loss. The farmer had grown paddy in four acres and borrowed `35,000 from a private finance company for the purpose. His family members said he was under stress for repaying the loan. On August 5, a cotton farmer, Bahadur Rana of Madiguda village under Bhawanipatna block had consumed poison in his farm field after crop damage.

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