Bisheshwar Mishra /AMN /
Noted lawyer and nominated member K T S Tulsi today urged the government to take urgent measures to prevent farmers from committing suicide. Stating that over 3,000 farmers had committed suicide in Maharashtra in the past three year and that 124 of such deaths had happened since January this year.
Raising the matter during Zero hour in Rajya Sabha, Tulsi said that even as 90 lakh farming population of the state equal to that of a country like Sweden was reeling under the impact of drought in the state and yet “to add insult to the injury certain leaders had mad abhorrent remark that there is competition for suicide.’’
He further said that not just Maharashtra but 302 districts out of 640 districts of the country were drought-hit and 9 of the 29 states were facing draught as well as severe water shortage problem due to which farmers were committing suicide because of crop failure.
He urged the government to “wake up and realise gravity of issue, as the draught hit states situation is only going to get graver and worrisome, water at reservoirs is lower than 10 year average. Mere allocation of funds is not enough to solve the problem but timely disbursement is essential.’’
Rajani Patil of the Congress party said that Latur district from where he came, was receiving water once in 40 days and Beed get water once a month.
Bhupinder Singh of Biju Janta Dal demanded release of compensation for 235 blocks affected by drought in Odisha. “Assistance should be (disbursed) timely to reach the state.”