NHRC notice to UP Govt on starvation deaths

New Delhi, Jan 25 (UNI) The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued notice to the Uttar Pradesh Government, seeking within four weeks a factual report on reported starvation deaths of poor and suicide by debt-ridden farmers.

Taking suo motu cognisance of a newspaper report, the Commission has directed the UP Chief Secretary to look into the matter.

The Commission expressed concern over the situation and said, ''the contents of the press report, if true, raise serious issue of violation of human rights of the poor people and in particular, the farmers of Bundelkhand area of Uttar Pradesh.'' According to the October 20 newspaper report, Bundelkhand has been witnessing drought-like conditions for the last four years.

''It was in 2004-2005 that the region was declared drought-hit following more than 50 per cent crop loss in the seven districts of Jhansi, Lalitpur, Jalaun, Mahoba, Hamirpur, Banda and Chitrakoot,'' it added.

UNI