Farmers Suicide in Western Orissa
Encyclopedia
Kosal region had been a prosperous land with abundant natural resources and self-sufficient economy. Earlier flood was not known to Kosal region. However, there were many occasions of droughts due to lack of proper irrigation.
Hirakud Dam
and other dams were built by the government primarily to decrease the damage by flood in Coastal Orissa and secondarily to facilitate irrigation in Kosal region. As most of the dams were built in Western Orissa, many villages were displaced and many people lost their natural habitat. Moreover the displaced people were not given due compensation for incurred damages. These displaced people, mainly farmers without adequate compensation, are living in bad conditions.
The displaced people settled in places near and far away from Hirakud Dam such as in Jharsuguda, Sambalpur, Bargarh, Sonepur, Angul, and Boudh districts. And many left western Orissa to become majdoor. After losing their land and not being compensated said displaced people bought land and lived on small income generated from their small land holdings. Irrigation and rain saved these people from facing severe sustained drought.
Forest coverage of the catchment area of Hirakud Dam which lies mostly in Chhattisgarh
, has declined drastically which is evident from browsing catchment area of the Hirakud on Google Earth. Most of the perennial water sources and streams come from the Bauxite holding Mountains due to the water affinity of the mineral. As bauxite and iron ores are being extracted, the water holding capacity of these have declined causing siltation, flash floods etc. during rain and draught during summer. Adding to it unsustainable industrialization and use of water resources by Industry the irrigation in this region has suffered. High level of Pollution due to many small and large industries and indiscriminate deforestation has decreased precipitation and has increased diseases leading either to decrease in yield or loss of crop.
The State Government had given false assurance to the Kosal region farmers that irrigation in the Hirakud command area will not be adversely affected by industrialization, nevertheless the government has taken all steps to facilitate use of water by Industry which is actually meant for farmers. Though the Industries have huge financial resources to make their own water bodies or to increase the water holding capacity of Hirakud the govt. has not taken a step for it, rather left the poor farmers to suffer for their innocence in believing the State Government.
It is reported that more than 60 farmers in western Orissa have committed suicide. It is also reported that forty-three farmers killed themselves towards the end of 2009., Some of the reasons for farmer suicide are: all of them were small farmers, entirely dependent on monsoons for irrigation, sudden Inflation had limited their access to expensive fertilizers and pesticides and all of them had borrowed from moneylenders between Rs 10,000 to 25,000 at exorbitant rates, some as high as 25 per cent.
The issue over farmers’ suicide in western Orissa is hotting up. The Biju Janata Dal had sent a three-member fact-finding team to Sagarpalli village in Jharsuguda district to meet the family members and assess the situation. Perturbed over oppositions’ attempts to make it issue, BJD decided to send a team for assuaging farmers. It was also reported that a team of high-level Bharatiya Janata Party leaders, led by State president Suresh Pujari, visited Khapsadea village in Sambalpur district where a farmer committed suicide in the first week of October 7. The Orissa govt. has also ordered probe to farmers suicide.
Hirakud Dam
Hirakud Dam
Hirakud Dam is built across the Mahanadi River, about 15 km from Sambalpur in the state of Orissa in India. Built in 1957, the dam is one of the world's longest earthen dam....
and other dams were built by the government primarily to decrease the damage by flood in Coastal Orissa and secondarily to facilitate irrigation in Kosal region. As most of the dams were built in Western Orissa, many villages were displaced and many people lost their natural habitat. Moreover the displaced people were not given due compensation for incurred damages. These displaced people, mainly farmers without adequate compensation, are living in bad conditions.
The displaced people settled in places near and far away from Hirakud Dam such as in Jharsuguda, Sambalpur, Bargarh, Sonepur, Angul, and Boudh districts. And many left western Orissa to become majdoor. After losing their land and not being compensated said displaced people bought land and lived on small income generated from their small land holdings. Irrigation and rain saved these people from facing severe sustained drought.
Forest coverage of the catchment area of Hirakud Dam which lies mostly in Chhattisgarh
Chhattisgarh
Chhattisgarh is a state in Central India, formed when the 16 Chhattisgarhi-speaking South-Eastern districts of Madhya Pradesh gained separate statehood on 1 November 2000....
, has declined drastically which is evident from browsing catchment area of the Hirakud on Google Earth. Most of the perennial water sources and streams come from the Bauxite holding Mountains due to the water affinity of the mineral. As bauxite and iron ores are being extracted, the water holding capacity of these have declined causing siltation, flash floods etc. during rain and draught during summer. Adding to it unsustainable industrialization and use of water resources by Industry the irrigation in this region has suffered. High level of Pollution due to many small and large industries and indiscriminate deforestation has decreased precipitation and has increased diseases leading either to decrease in yield or loss of crop.
The State Government had given false assurance to the Kosal region farmers that irrigation in the Hirakud command area will not be adversely affected by industrialization, nevertheless the government has taken all steps to facilitate use of water by Industry which is actually meant for farmers. Though the Industries have huge financial resources to make their own water bodies or to increase the water holding capacity of Hirakud the govt. has not taken a step for it, rather left the poor farmers to suffer for their innocence in believing the State Government.
It is reported that more than 60 farmers in western Orissa have committed suicide. It is also reported that forty-three farmers killed themselves towards the end of 2009., Some of the reasons for farmer suicide are: all of them were small farmers, entirely dependent on monsoons for irrigation, sudden Inflation had limited their access to expensive fertilizers and pesticides and all of them had borrowed from moneylenders between Rs 10,000 to 25,000 at exorbitant rates, some as high as 25 per cent.
The issue over farmers’ suicide in western Orissa is hotting up. The Biju Janata Dal had sent a three-member fact-finding team to Sagarpalli village in Jharsuguda district to meet the family members and assess the situation. Perturbed over oppositions’ attempts to make it issue, BJD decided to send a team for assuaging farmers. It was also reported that a team of high-level Bharatiya Janata Party leaders, led by State president Suresh Pujari, visited Khapsadea village in Sambalpur district where a farmer committed suicide in the first week of October 7. The Orissa govt. has also ordered probe to farmers suicide.
External links
- The spectre of farmers' suicides
- Farmers are committing suicide in western Orissa :Kosal Discussion and Development Forum
- Farmers committing suicide due to crop failure in western Orissa, Govt refuses
- Congress MP demands separate W Orissa state
- Farmers threaten mass suicide
- List of Farmers committed suicide in Orissa