10 debt-ridden farmers commit suicide in Vidarbha: VJAS

Nagpur, Aug 7 (UNI) As many as ten debt-ridden farmers have committed suicide in the last five days in the Vidarbha region of Maharashtra, according to an NGO.

Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti (VJAS), a voluntary organisation working among farmers in the region, in a release here said, those who took the extreme step included three farmers from Akola district, two each from Bhandara, Washim and Yavatmal districts, and one from Wardha district. This indicated the resumption of the spate of suicides by the distressed farmers of Vidarbha after a two-month lull, the release said.

Asserting that the 'flawed' policies of the government were responsible for the suicides, VJAS said that the year 2008 could turn out to be worse than 2006, if corrective measures were not initiated immediately.

The disbursement of loans by nationalised and cooperative banks was not even 10 per cent of the target in the region, thereby forcing the farmers to approach private money lenders, it added.

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