01/05/2007

Western Vidarbha :

1. RAMBHAU SAKHARAM KHATE, YAVALI, YAVATMAL
2. VASUDEORAO MAHADEV POTRAJWAR, SHRIRAMPUR, YAVATMAL
3. SUNIL MAHADEV BHAGAT, HUSANAPUR, WARDHA
4. PRADIP RAMCHANDRA MASKE, RENUKAPUR, WARDHA
5. GAJANAN MAHSAJI SHINDE, AALLYA, BULDHANA

Volte face by Maharashtra and PMO - PM vidarbha Package

From Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti :
PMO APATHY TO VIDARBHA RELIEF PACKAGE:

MAHARASHTRA GOVT. MISLEAD SUPREME COURT
NAGPUR-13TH APRIL, 2007

It is reported that in order to save volte face of non functioning of PMO regarding follow up relief aid distribution as announced by Indian prime minister as vidarbha farmers relief package of rs.3750 crore, the Maharashtra government has withdrawn its allegations against the Prime Minister's Office of delaying the release of additional funds for ex-gratia assistance to suicide-affected farmers' families in the state.

The allegation caused a major embarrassment to Prime Minister Man Mohan Singh and the Congress, as the party was a senior partner in the coalition government in Maharashtra.

This central assistance authorised district collectors to sanction Rs 10,000 for a suicide-affected family for health and education related expenses. An amount of Rs 50 lakh each was placed for disposal with the six district collectors for this purpose in August 2006.

In an affidavit filed in the Supreme Court, the state had said, "this amount has fully been disbursed to the needy families and the state government has been requesting the Prime Minister's Office for additional funds. The State has even earmarked Rs 1.80 crore from the Chief Minister's Fund, with a view to keep the scheme running otherwise the scheme had to be stopped for the delay in receiving grants from the PMO."

"This is completely false affidavit as relied aid has not given to affected farm widows and farmers' families as on today" PIL Petitioner Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti President Kishore Tiwari in nagpur bench of mumbai high court in the same issue has informed today that maharashtra Govt. has given untrue and misleading information in the recent affidavit as relief data given by the on their web site does not support made in this affidavit in fact PMO was only spectators to farm suicides after 1st July 2006 and there is no action from PMO on record ,kishor tiwari added

The affidavit had come in response to a PIL filed by advocate Sanjeev Bhatnagar seeking review of the current agriculture policy in view of suicides committed by thousands of farmers in various parts of the country.

It is reported in the press today that now, Maharashtra's Joint Secretary and OSD, Relief and Rehabilitation, Praveen Srivastava has filed an additional affidavit seeking to delete the allegations against the PMO.

Srivastava alleged that a particular sentence of the affidavit had been torn out and misinterpreted out of context by a section of press to interpret that the state government was putting the blame on the PMO for the delay in making available funds.

"I am constrained to file this additional affidavit so as to make the record clear and unambiguous and lead no manner of doubt as to the contentions of 2nd Respondent (Maharashtra) in this regard," Srivastava said in the affidavit.

Instead, Maharashtra requested the court to allow it to add two additional pages appreciating Singh's visit to Vidarbha, announcement of package for farmers and his support to the scheme.

This is the mockery of the relief operation as more than 1000 farmers suicides have been reported by Maharashtra state Govt. on the web site officially after the announcement of the relief package by Indian Prime Minister now as face saving device both are misleading the apex court, it's unfortunate and we will move against both Govt. at the central level and local level as matter of contempt of court, Kishor Tiwari further added.

31/03/2007

Western Vidarbha :

1. BIJARAM ATRAM, VILLAGE TEMBHI, YAVATMAL
2. GANESH DUMARE, PALASGOAN, WARDHA
3. DHANRAJ PARSUTKAR, NANDGOAN PODE, CHANDRAPUR
4. ARUN KANOJE, PIMPRI MODAK, WASHIM
5. BHUSHAN DHOTE, RAMPURI TOLI, BHANDARA
6. AVINASH LENTHARE, VILLAGE TAKALI, WARDHA
7. PRAKASH NIBHORKAR, GADCHIROLI, GADCHIROLI
8. HARI DHOTE, INDARWADA, NAGPUR

Despite Bhau VilasRao Deshmukh, Maharshtra CM's claim, that suicide rates were going down, 95 farmers ended their lives last month
Death row No. of suicides
2007 March 95 February 88 January 70 2006
2006 July 90 August 111 Sept 125 Oct 112 Nov 107 Dec 105

- Hindustan Times Report of Mr Pradip Maitra :
pradipmaitra@hindustantimes.com

http://epaper.hindustantimes.com/artMailDisp.aspx?article=01_04_2007_004_011&typ=1&pub=264

You can find it at: ' Farmer suicides highest in March'HindustanTimes ePaper
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Morshi in Amaravti has been shocked when four member of cotton farmer family reported dead due to food poisoning, VJAS has demanded C.B.I. enquiry in to matter in order to rule out the possibility of mass suicide due distress as 3 more farmers suicides reported today on 25 th march 2007,

1. SUBHASH MOHURLE, VILLAGE KINHI, YAVATMAL

2. SHANKAR ZODE, DEWALA, YAVATMAL

3. DAVIDAS TAYADE, BRAHMAN THADI, AMARAVATI

18/03/2007

Western Vidarbha :

1.BHAGWAN DOEJAD OF VILLAGE DEVELGOAN-MAI IN BULDHANA
2.GAJANAN KALE OF MANGURALA (KURD) IN YAVATMAL
3.KAPIL BHAWARE OF VIALLAGE TAD SAWALI IN YAVATMAL
4.AMBADAS MORKAR OF DHAMANI IN WASHIM DISTRCIT
5.BABRAO MATARMARE OF VILLAGE MOHARI IN WASHIM
6.RAVINDRA NAWATHE OF VIALLGE WANI IN WARDHA

05/03/2007

Western Vidarbha :
1. Devidas Rathode, village Bhuli, Washim distt
2. Janrao Pachare, Dongargoan, Akola distt
3. Savitri Dhavane, village Khatkheda, Wardha
4. Damkrishanna Turankar, Naigaon(khz), Yavatmal
5. Dadarao Rathode, vilage Chirodi, Amaravati
6. Mahendra Kompalwar, village Hatgoan, Yavatmal
7. Yogesh Mirage, village Bhastan, Shegaon

As per Congress NCP, Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilas Rao Deshmukh's, political wisdom :
1. Real blame for "wrongful media attention" by " Vested Interests " for raising issue of farmer suicides and distracting attention, from the glorious success of Prime Minister Man Mohan Singh's Vidarbha Relief package for debt ridden cotton farmers, announced during Indian Prime Minister's visit to Vidarbha GM cotton belt, in 2006.
2. That all rural suicides, are being credited to the account of agrarian suicides, whereas according to him, these suicides are not agrarian suicides. So now, the CM has jumped into the fray of issuing post mortem certificates after Shri Sudhir Kumar Goyal, IAS, Relief Commissioner, and other bureaucrats.
According to him, the Congress Party / NCP, should be the arbiter of the reasons for suicides, and people should refuse to be misled by "vested interests".
3. TV channels are wrongfully showing strips of Vidarbha suicides.
4. Has claimed that suicides are generalized social problems and have nothing at all to do with rural and agrarian distress, or any Farm Exit Policy of Indian Congress government.
5. Has asked the media and publicity mongers, to wait for 3-4 more years, before the start of Second Green Revolution, as announced by the Delhi and Mumbai based Congress politicians, and massive state investments in irrigation projects in Vidarbha, begins to show results on the faces of Vidarbha farmers and suicide figures begin to show a declining trend.

02/03/2007

Western Vidarbha :

1. THAKURSINGH GYANSINGH BRAMHANE, ASEGOAN, WASHIM
2. DILIP YADAV NARRADIWAR, BORTANDALI, CHNADRAPUR
3. SURESH PUNAJI WANKHEDE, VILLAGE PARSODA, AKOLA
4. BABAN PACHAKAR, KARLA, AMAMRAVATI
5. MAHADEV VISHUJI PAWAR, WARWAT, BAKAL, BULDHANA

Indian government, Maharashtra state government, senior local bureaucrats are careful NOT to characterize these as AGRARIAN SUICIDES due to debt problems of cotton growing farmers in Vidarbha..
They cite reasons like :
1. Alcoholism
2. Family Problems and berievement
3. Medical expenses
4. Social tensions
5. Mental insanity

01/03/2007 - Chidambaram Budget

Western vidarbha :
Indian Budget Day suicides :

1. Ravindra Keshv Raut, Khamapur village, Amaravati district,
2. Sudhakar Nagorao Kohle, Ralegoan,
3. Viththal Madhav Nikode, Saikheda village,
4. Umesh Ramrao Borwal, Belori village, Yavatmal district,
5. Suresh Kashiram Banapure, Nandgoanpeth village, Amravati district
6. Gajanan Pandurang Khadase, Panjari village, Washim district

26/02/2007

Western Vidarbha :
1. Pawan Rameshwar Sadashiv, Kushta villaage, Maravati distt.
2. Rameshwar gangaram Darkate, village Wani-rabhapur, Akola distt.
3. Parmeshwar laxman Gorganle, Jamulghat, Chandrapur dist.
4. Shiriram syryabha Jewala, Paharadevi, Washim distt.
5. Mahan appa Giri, manoda, in Buldhana
6. Prabhakar waman Sawai, village Kat mamla, Maravati
7. Ganesh narayan tike, vilage Masani, Washim
8. Ramhrishnna motiram Gairnar, vilage Rohana
9. Sakharam gajan Choudhari, village Jurur, Yavatmal
10. Santosh mahadev Dandale, village Paras, Akola
11. Rahul Narayan Chinche, village Krurha, Yavatmal.

17/02/2007

Western Vidarbha :

1. SHYAMRAO CHANDRABHAN KINAKE VILLAGE- UMARI-YAVATMAL
2. VINOD SHAYRAO KINAKE-VILLAGE-UMARI-YAVATMAL
3. NILKANTH VITHOBA GURNULE-VILLAGE -WEDASI IN YAVATMAL
4. ASHOK JAYRAM KOLLAR PALSONI IN YAVATMAL
5. BAB TUKARAM CHIKAT OF SAWALI(WAGH) IN WARDHA
6. VINAYAK MOTIRA, ADE OF SAKHARA IN WARDHA
7. TAPAJI DAMAJI KORADKAR OF VILLAGE SHIRALA IN BULDHANA
8. RAMRAO VITHAL GANGAWANE OF DEPUL IN WASHIM
9. BAPURAO SHIRIKRISHNNA GAIGOLE OF DHANEGOAN IN AMARAVATI

Shyam and Vinod were a adivasi father and son duo.
Huge debt, healthcare costs and agrarian distress are assumed to be behind the tribal father and son suicide pacts.
The Divisional Commissioner in charge of Relief, Shri Sudhir Goyal is reported to be shedding crocodile tears and giving interviews to media - "My heart goes out for those who ended their lives out of acute frustration and for their bereaved families even as I am worried about those caught in the web of a flawed system".
The Finance Minister Shri Chidambaram and Shri Sharad Pawar of Central Congress government, have no time to even meet representatives of suicidal and indebted farmers with no hope.
Congress Government seems more keen on implementing Farm Exit Policy for Vidarbha farmers rather than the announced Prime Minister package.

16/02/2007

Reported : Nine farmers suicides in vidarbha in last 72 hours taking toll to 50 in the month of February 2007. 120 farm suicides in this year 2007.
This is in the backdrop of Congress Prime Minister ManMohan Singh's Relief Package announced in 2006, and its tardy implementation by various government disbursement agencies in Vidarbha cotton growing areas, and interviews of bureaucrats like Shri Goyal, Relief commissioner, that "no government on earth can subsidze 60% of its farmers".
The PMO in New Delhi, is supposedly overseeing implementation of Relief Package but is not able to come to grips with the problem of agrarian suicides and undeclared Farm Exit policy of central Congress government.
The Finance Minister / Sensex Minister of India, Shri Chidambaram, reportedly has no time in New Delhi for even meeting representatives of suicidal farmers.

Shri Chidambaram Steps Forward - Meeting with Shri Tiwari on 08 Feb 2007

VJAS leaders are meeting Indian Finance Minister on 8th feb, 2007 along with farmers to push their long pending demands" - Kishor Tiwari, Vidarbha Jan Aandolan Samiti