TV
Another farmer passed away after witnessing his devastated crops on Monday at Sumandi village under Usuma Panchayat of Baranga block in Cuttack district.
The incident continued an appalling crisis of farmer deaths in Odisha following last month’s untimely and low pressure-induced-rainfall.
Family members of the deceased farmer, identified as Indrajit Chatoi, claimed that he died of a heart attack upon returning home in the evening after inspecting his fields. He had reportedly lost a large portion of his crops in the rains and was under financial pressure after accruing debts.
Earlier, a farmer named Kailash Chandra Dhal from Koladiha village in Kendrapara district took his own life by consuming poison, allegedly due to severe crop loss.
Reports stated that Dhal had cultivated paddy on 8 acres, but the crop was largely destroyed by the unseasonal and incessant spell of rains that began on December 19. Facing mounting financial pressure from a loan of around Rs 2.5 to Rs 3 lakh, Dhal suffered severe mental distress, leading to his tragic decision.
Preceding the above ordeals, on January 3, two farmers from the Ranpur block of Nayagarh died of shock after witnessing the destruction of their harvest.
ALSO READ: Another farmer dies by suicide after crop loss; 10th death in 10 days in Odisha
Meanwhile, the Mohan Majhi-led Odisha government declared last month’s spell of rains as a state calamity and announced a compensation package of Rs 291 crore to all affected farmers, including those who grew crops other than paddy.
ALSO READ: Rainfall in Odisha: Minister assures compensation to farmers for crop loss
Prompt measures from swift disbursal of compensation amounts to issuance of warnings to insurance companies against irregularities in claim settlements have been taken by the state government to address the alarming situation.
