CHENNAI: The Tamilnadu Government has been directed by the Madras High Court to submit a list of measures taken to stop farmer suicides and to protect them.
The first Bench of Chief Justice SK Kaul and Justice M Sundar issued the directive while admitting a PIL from the Tamil Nadu Centre for Public Interest Litigation, by its managing trustee K K Ramesh, on Thursday.
The PIL prayed for a directive to the State Government to set up an expert panel in each district of the State to prevent farmers from committing suicides because of heavy crop losses. It also wanted the use of the latest technology to save standing crops and to create an awareness among the farmers about the latest technology in agriculture development. It also wanted the use of drip irrigation increased.
According to the petitioner, after the failure of the northeast and southwest monsoons for the last three years, the farming activities were affected and lakhs of farmers and farm labourers rendered jobless. In some places, they began migrating to other districts in search of livelihood. It was the bounden duty of the government to protect its farmers from committing suicide and must use and teach modern technology, as in Israel. Then only farmers would be saved from poverty and suicide, the petitioner added. The matter will be taken up on February 14.
Meanwhile, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken suo motu cognisance of media reports on the deaths of 106 farmers in one month in Tamil Nadu. Asking for information about the steps taken or proposed to be taken by the State government, it has issued a notice to the Chief Secretary seeking a detailed report within six weeks.
The NHRC observed that failure of a crop not only affected the farmers financially, but also put them under tremendous stress. “The entire family collapses when a farmer dies or commits suicide. The deaths are not only due to the victim’s right to life and dignity, but is also indicative of failure and inaction by the State agencies,” said the NHRC in a statement.