MANDYA: The spate of farmers’ suicide continued in Karnataka with a farmer hanging himself at Valagerehalli in Maddur taluk on Saturday. He took the extreme step due to mounting debts.
Debts drove another farmer to attempt suicide by consuming poison in front of housing minister M Krishnappa at a public function in Mandya on Saturday. He wanted to take his life as he had not received compensation for the land he had given up for developing an irrigation canal.
In the first instance, Marigowda (62), had cultivated paddy, sugarcane and ragi in two acres of land and had borrowed Rs 4 lakh from fellow villagers. He had raised Rs 75,000 as gold loan from a nationalised bank and had borrowed another Rs 4.5 lakh from private lenders. But with no rains and the irrigation canals bone dry, his crops failed, forcing him to end his life.
Marigowda is survived by wife his and two sons. Maddur police have registered a case.
Appaji Gowda, also a sexagerian hailing from the same taluk as Marigowda, said that suicide was the only option left for him after he ran pillar to post at various government offices for six months, but was still unable to get the due compensation. Gowda, a native of Ankanapura, said that he was deep in debt and money lenders had demanded repayment of money on more than five occasions.
The minister was taking part in Basava jayanthi celebrations in Kalamandir auditorium. As Gowda was going to submit a representation on this to the minister, he collapsed. He was rushed to a hospital and is said to be out of danger.
Krishnappa directed authorities to attend to the farmer’s plea and release compensation immediately.
Mandya district has already witnessed the deaths of seven debt-ridden farmers in the last one month.
A few weeks ago, JD(S) state president H D Kumaraswamy had visited the family of a dead farmer in the district and handed over compensation of `1 lakh to the family.
The irrigation department had stopped releasing water for agricultural purposes in November to ensure there is no scarcity of drinking water in Bengaluru, Mysuru, Mandya and other places in summer. This has affected 80 per cent of farmers in Mandya district who depend on water from KRS for irrigation. Besides, many borewells in the district have gone dry.