VELLORE: If poor rainfall and low crop yield have left farmers in dismay, nationalised banks have earned their wrath by sending in loan recovery agents.
Now, farmers in Vellore district have warned the banks that their agents would be tied up in the farms if they resorted to seizure of property.
At the farmers’ grievance redressal meeting that was held on Friday, farmers alleged that nationalised banks that had provided loans to farmers were engaging goons to recover the money.
“Already, we are struggling due to failure of rainfall. Crops have failed, putting us in great hardship.
In such circumstances, banks are sending in goons in order to recover the loan amount given to us by seizing our properties.”
If banks resort to such measures, the farmers said that they would have to resort to tying up the agents in the farm and release them only if the Collector intervenes.
Meanwhile, an official from a nationalised bank denied engaging goons.
He added that they have been informing the default farmers well in advance about their non-payment of loans.
“We are lending loan out of the deposits of the general public. We have to pay them back. If the persons availing loan fail to repay the amount on time, what we will do?” he said.
The agricultural department officials have also dissuaded the farmers from resorting to such action that would set a bad example to the society.