The burden of debt and several other reasons force farmers every year to take such extreme steps
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Stressed farmers speaking about suicide and even killing themselves by suicide isn’t new. The burden of debt and several other reasons force the farmers to take this extreme step. In a rather bizarre incident, a farmer in Karnataka gave an application to the PDO (Panchayat Development Officer) of his village seeking permission to commit suicide and the later agreed! The PDO even signed the letter, stamped his seal on it and gave an acknowledgement as well.
Manjunath Kambar is a farmer in Mangaluru village of Koppala district. Under MNREGA scheme, Kambar had built a pond in his farm. Kambar, his father and wife put in weeks of labour and built the pond to secure water supply to their farm. Farmers are given funds from MNREGA scheme to help them bear such costs.
Accordingly, when Kambar went to the village panchayat asking for the funds, the PDO, Veeresh G allegedly asked Rs 15,000 as bribe. “I have pledged my wife’s jewelry and got money on high interest rate. I pay Rs 3000 monthly as interest alone. If I get this money, half my problems will be solved and I will get some breathing space. I have visited multiple times but he always shoos me away. He demanded a bribe of Rs 15,000 to pass my application and I really don’t have that money,” said Kambar.
Furious villagers gathered in front of the village panchayat and demanded explanation. The Taluk Panchayat officials said, the PDO Veeresh G informed them that Kambar has used machinery (earth movers) and hence we can’t approve the funds. They promised to look into it. However Kambar said that he is very much aware that using machinery is not allowed for MNREGA beneficiaries. He also challenged the PDO to show him proof that the machineries are used.
After all this, the PDO has apologized to the farmer orally but hasn’t approved the funds yet. The villagers have decided to stage a protest before the village panchayat against the PDO. Veeresh G, the PDO’s number is switched off when we tried to contact him in this regard.
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