(NEWS) Bundelkhand turns Vidarbha as farmers commit suicide

Bundelkhand turns Vidarbha as farmers commit suicide

Banda, (Uttar Pradesh), Sept 3 : Due to increased debt, adverse climatic conditions and poor yield of crops, many farmers in villages of Banda district in Uttar Pradesh's Bundelkhand region have commited suicide.

In the past two months, at least five farmers in Palra and other villages of Banda district have chosen to commit suicide under the pressure of debt.

"When there was no way, he committed suicide. There was no money. He had a debt of over 20,000 rupees," said Ram Kumar, uncle of a farmer who committed suicide recently.

The district administration, however, is shifting the blame on nature and social causes for the deaths.

"There are many reasons. First, it is a drought-prone area with less rainfall. The soil does not have the capacity to hold water. Besides, poverty and social causes are also responsible for the farmers committing suicide. There cannot be a single reason for the suicide," said Prabhudayal Srinivas, District Magistrate, Banda.

Most of the farmers in the region have taken loans from private money-lenders or banks, but unable to repay them on time.

Suicide cases of farmers have been on the increase especially in the Vidarbha region of Maharashtra.

Besides Vidarbha, similar cases have been reported from the three southern states of Andhra Pradesh, Kerala and Karnataka. And now joining this list is the Bundelkhand region of Uttar Pradesh.

--- ANI