Wayanad Weeps as Suicide Revisits

 N.S.Sajith

Wayanad was just like Vidarbha till recently. A beautiful hilly
district in the lap of Western Ghats in North Kerala was known for its
 torrent of news of Farmers’ suicide. The tragic suicide of around
1300 farmers in the state was the focal point of discourse in the
early years of last decade. The agriculture distress in Wayanad
district had added to the worry of the state. Wayanad was extremly
vulnerable to the post globalisation reforms as majority of the
popualation based on agriculture. In the period of 2001-2006 when UDF
government was in the power, 532 farmers committed suicide in Wayanad
district only. The drastic fall of the price of  agriculture products
resulted the mass suicide in the district.

The callous attitude of the UDF Governments led firstly A K Antony and
Oommen Chandy was widely criticised. The national media too criticised
the animosity of the authorities. The demands for writing off
agriculture debt were fallen in to deaf ears. No action has been taken
by the then government to protect the distressed farmers.
The callousness of UDF was paid heavily on them. UDF leaders were
argued that no suicide took place because of Agriculture distress.
Elections in 2006 shown a clean sweep by LDF in this Congress
dominated district. It was the first time in the state’s history, all
three seats, Kalpetta, North Wayanad and Sulthan Batheri were won by
LDF with massive majority.

The trust of the people of Wayanad was well addressed by the LDF
Govrnment which came in to power in 2006 elections. In the very first
day the Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan announced that the debts of
distressed farmers to be written off. In the first time of history the
LDF goverment formed debt relief commission to ascertain the loss
faced by the farmers. As per the recommendations of the commission,
the goverment written of the debt. 42113 farmers benefited by this
decision. Total 1,67,002 application were addressed positively. During
2006 to February 2011, debt amount Rs. 69.45 crores written off.
But the whole measures taken by the LDF government were not followed up
by the incumbent UDF government. Tragic suicide of two farmers in
Wayand in last week really startled the conscience of the Kerala. The
shocking news came from Vellamunda and pulpally. C P Shashi from
Vellamunda and Ashokan from Pulpally ended their lives on November 3rd
 and 5th respectively. These debtridden farmers committed suicide duo
to the drastic fall of price of ginger and banana. Recent hike of
fertiliser also deteriorated their distress.
 The rays of hope generated by the LDF government were shattered by the
UDF. The sheild of protection given by the LDF government is taken away by the new government.

Suicide trend extend its wing

Two more farmers end their life

Suicide trend which spreads it wings from Wayanad to Kottayam claims two more lives of distressed farmers. On Tuesday one more farmer killed himself in Wayanad by consuming poison. The suicide of Vargheese(48) makes the death toll in Wayanad in to three within one week in this northern hilly district.

Today Kottayam, a Central Kerala district has shivered by hearing news of tragic suicide of paddy farmer P K Sreedharan (73) from Kaippuzha. Thus the distressed farmers’ death toll four month long UDF regime rose to four. The fourth Suicide death occurred in the district of Chief Minister Oommen Chandy. (Earlier this week two farmers, Shashidharan and Ashokan both from Wayanad committed suicide.)

Both farmers resorted to death as they failed to repay the agriculture loan. SBI and from Co-operative Bank in his locality had given Rs. 4 lakh loan to Sreedharan. But the crop failure made him a defaulter. He consumed rat poison to end his life.

Varghese cultivated ginger and Banana in his 1.25 acres of land in Meppadi in Wayanad. The sudden rise of fertilizer and drastic fall of price made him defaulter, his close relatives said.