Date:04/08/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/08/04/stories/2006080404851600.htm

National

PIL in Supreme Court on suicide by farmers

Legal Correspondent

Experts should probe lapses in execution of farm policy

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New Delhi: Expressing concern over suicide by hundreds of farmers, an advocate has filed a public interest litigation petition seeking the intervention of the Supreme Court.

Sanjeev Bhatnagar, who is also an agricultural economist, said that in the last five years over 10,000 farmers had killed themselves, and Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Kerala were the worst affected. Farmers in various States were ending their lives unable to repay loans. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh admitted that farmers had not been given a fair price for their produce and this resulted in their indebtedness, the petitioner said.

Constitutional obligation

The Union Government and the States concerned were under a constitutional obligation to ensure the survival of farmers. The Government's planning was lacking in concern for the farmers, who were virtually left at the mercy of private moneylenders coupled with the vagaries of nature.

The petitioner said the families of farmers, who committed suicide, needed immediate care and redress by way of condoning loan repayment.