HYDERABAD: In yet another incident that puts the State system to shame, mounting debts forced a cotton farmer to end his life in Vikarabad district. The farmer Shivagalla Chinna Balaiah, aged 53, was found hanging to a tree near his agricultural field on Friday.
This is, perhaps, the first farmer suicide reported in the State after the TRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao took charge as the Chief Minister for a second term. While announcing his plans to enter national politics, he made striking statements about extending economic support to every farmer in the State. He also stated that the Federal Front would extend the Rythu Bandhu benefit to farmers all over the country. The scheme has reportedly benefited around 57 lakh farmers all over the State, with a support `8,000 per acre each year.
Chinna Balaiah, a native of Madaram village of Parigi mandal had owned 1.12 acres of agricultural land in his village. He had also been cultivating the four acres of land owned by his father. During this crop season, Balaiah had taken his relative’s 2 acre land on lease to sow cotton. However, due to shortage of rainfall and irrigation facilities, the crops were obliterated. On top of incurring huge losses, Balaiah also had a lot of debt on his shoulders.
His son Anjaneyulu said that Balaiah had confided in him with his troubles. “But I assured him that we can work together and clear the debts. He was getting more depressed with each passing day. This could be why he took this extreme step,” he said.
Cotton crops decline compared to last year
Adilabad: The arrival of the cotton crop in erstwhile Adilabad, when compared to figures from last year, have declined this month. Officials had expected a harvest of 60 lakh quintals of the crop, however not more than 23 lakh quintals has arrived at marketplaces till date. This is rather alarming as the area under cotton cultivation in the region increased by 64% compared to last year’s Kharif season