KENDRAPARA/JAJPUR: With the spectre of financial distress looming large after rains destroyed harvest-ready crops, two more farmers died in the state on Saturday. One allegedly committed suicide while the other suffered cardiac arrest, taking the toll to five in the last three days.
In Kendrapara’s Derabishi block, 64-year-old Daitari Jena reportedly consumed pesticide in Kosida village. Jena had raised paddy over three acre of land after obtaining a loan of Rs 75,000 from a self-help group and some locals. The recent rains, however, damaged his ripe paddy crop.
The victim’s son Raghunath Jena claimed his father committed suicide due to crop loss. Neighbours and family members rushed Jena to the community health centre (CHC) at Derabishi where doctors declared him dead. While his body was sent for postmortem, police said they have started an investigation into his death.
The farmer’s wife alleged Jena was under tremendous pressure to repay his loan. However, Kendrapara SDPO Debendra Mallick said, “No suicide note was recovered from the spot. After getting the autopsy report, the exact reason behind his death can be ascertained,” he added
Additional district magistrate of Kendrapara Nilu Mohapatra said, the Derabishi tehsildar has been directed to submit a detailed report to the district administration. Authorities will take necessary steps to provide help after the report is received, he added.
In the second incident of the day, a 55-year-old farmer reportedly suffered a cardiac arrest in Jajpur district after he witnessed extensive damage to his crops. The deceased was identified as Manibhadra Mohanty, a native of Chikana village under Binjharpur block.
Family sources said Mohanty had borrowed from different sources to grow paddy on his three-acre land. On Saturday morning, he went to inspect the crop and collapsed. He was rushed to Binjharpur CHC but the doctor declared him dead. Mohanty’s family has demanded compensation from the government.
“My father saw his crop ruined by the unseasonal rain. He could not bear the pain and collapsed because he had taken loans from multiple sources,” said his daughter.
Jajpur collector P Anvesha Reddy said field teams are extensively assessing damage to standing crops and losses of uninsured farmers. “Government is committed to providing compensation to farmers in case of crop damage,” she said.
The unseasonal rains between December 20 and 26 have caused widespread damage to standing crops and harvested paddy across the district.
Madhaba Das, farmer leader and vice president of Kendrapa unit of Krusaka Sabha blamed the agricultural policy of the government for the woes of the farmers.
“Most farmers do not insure their crop as a result of which they suffer when natural disasters strike. The government is yet to formulate a concrete policy to insure agricultural land as a result large numbers of farmers are not covered by insurance companies,” he added.
