The Hindu : National : NHRC seeks report from A.P. on farmers' suicides

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Oct 15, 2004

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National

NHRC seeks report from A.P. on farmers' suicides

By Our Legal Correspondent

NEW DELHI, OCT. 14. Expressing concern over the incidents of suicide of farmers in Andhra Pradesh, the National Human Rights Commission has sought a report from the State Government on the steps it proposed to take to deal with the situation.

The commission also asked the Chief Secretary to communicate within four weeks the results achieved so far on the follow-up action taken on the basis of measures suggested by the Cabinet sub-committee.

The commission also sought the State's response on the complaint filed by the Forum of Social and Human Rights urging the constitution of a panel of economists to identify the root causes for suicide by farmers across the country and suggest measures to solve this problem.

Expert advice

In a petition filed before NHRC, the president of the forum, Pentapati Pullarao, pointed out that suicide by farmers in large numbers was being witnessed in Andhra Pradesh, Punjab, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Kerala. While such suicides were also witnessed in other sections of society, the issue among farmers was glaring. He wanted NHRC to take an overall view and solve this social problem by heeding to the advice of a panel of eminent economists from India and abroad. The Special Rapporteur of the commission, K.R. Venugopal, had indicted Andhra Pradesh for its failure to go to the rescue of the families of the suicide victims.

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