NHRC Inspection Visit - Kolam Vidarbha Maharashtra

VIDARBHA JAN ANDOLAN SAMITI :
11, Trisaran Society, In front of Somalwar School, Khamla, Nagpur – 440 025
Tel No. (0712) 2282457 Mob No. 9422108846 / 9371137653 / 9373121947
(Regd Office : At Post : Pandharkawada-445 302, Tq : Kelapur, Distt : Yavatmal)
Ref No. VJAS/PIL-HC/Kolam Deaths/175/2007, June 2, 2007

NHRC VISIT Regarding STARVATION & MALNUTRITION DEATHS OF KOLAM TRIBALS :

NHRC Team to visit vidarbha on 4th june to have on the spot of fact finding report on kolam starvation death and condition regarding Drinking Water, Health Care & BPL Benefits to Kolam Tribals

Petitioner VJAS to raise all issues of plights of Tribals and lack of support from Government before NHRC

After having very difficult task to save the Maharashtra Govt. before Nagpur Bench of Mumbai High Court in PIL pertaining to most serious issues of Starvation & Malnutrition Deaths of Kolam Tribals in Yavatmal District, Now team of NHRC(Natinal huma right commission) headed Dr.L.P.Mishra is visitng on 4th june to vidarbha .This is the NHRC special team will visit all kolam pods to see in to facts raised by the Kishor Tiwari of Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti regading Government Apathy & lack of timely support from Mantralaya to address the various issues involving Right to Food, Shelter – Gharkul, Health Care, Education, Drinking Water, etc. to be made available to the distressed Tribals family in the Yavatmal District by the Ground Level Administration in solving the issues and the look in to the the Officials limitations in speedy implementing the Tribal Schemes for want of budgetary supports and approvals of the State Government.

Along with NHRC team ,it is reported Amravati Divisional Commissioner Dr. Sudhir Goyal , PIL Petitioner Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti President Sh. Kishore Tiwari and Counsels Adv. Firdos Mirza, Adv. Vinod Tiwari, Adv. Ajay Somani, Asst. Govt. Pleaders Smt. Bharti Dangre & Sh. Arvind Mujumdar and host of the Government Officials from Yavatmal District including District Collector Dr. Harshwardhan Kamble, Z.P. CEO Dr. Sikar Pardesi, Additional Tribal Commissioner Sh. Hmant Limaye, Dy. Commissioner - Civil Supply Sh. Hemant Pawar, Dy. Commissioner Sh. Jaywant Choudhari, I.D.T.P. Project Officer Sh. S.N.Saidane, Dr. Rathod (District Health Officer), Dy. Director of Health Services of Akola and other Officials of Tribals Development and District Administration will visit these kolam pods.NHRC is investigating the complaint filled by Petitioner Sh. Kishore Tiwari in the year 2003, in the wake of untimely, sudden starvation deaths of 52 Kolam Tribals which rocked entire nation in the year 2003.

It may be recalled that the report of High Power Committee appointed by the Hon'ble High Court had pointed out serious issues pertaining to Poor Health-Care, Contaminated & Poisonous Drinking Water, poor conditions of Ashram Schools run by Politicians, short coming in BPL Schemes and denial of benefits to the poor & innocent tribals families residing in 710 villages of tribals belts of Yavatmal Districts. Upon perusal of the report and on the request of PIL Petitioner, the High Court had ordered State Government to take immediate steps and submit Action Taken Report on the serious points raised by the High Power Committee headed by the Divisional Commissioner, Amravati in which Top IAS Officials where the Members of the said fact finding committee who all are the part of administration governing the control of various schemes. But in the joint meeting, officials express their limitations in solving various burning problems of the Tribals inspite of knowing fully well, as they lack in getting timely support from the State Government at Mantralaya even after their repeated efforts.

According to VJAS NHRC team will certainly be shocked to note that many of the villages are forced to drink fluoride contaminated and poisonous drinking water, non availability of Doctors in Tribals area, miserable conditions of shelter and housing, mis-managed Ashram Schools run by the Politicians, non inclusion of illegible families in BPL List due to delay in finalization of BPL list at Mantralaya level, guaranteed employment to the Tribals, etc.

NHRC has been adked for urgent needs for protection of deprived Tribal families whose fundamental Rights to Live & Liberty is infringed due to negligence of State Government as the Tribals have been denied Right to Food, Shelter, Health – Care, Drinking Water & Education inspite of the directions from the Hon'ble High Court.

Limitations of timely support from Mantralaya, the results expected have not been seen effectively, even after four years of continued efforts of the District Administration. The Petitioner was very critical upon the lack of support from State Government and its apathy towards the burning issues of the Tribals in Yavatmal district for which the Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti is fighting continuously since last Seven Years.

Kishor Tiwari
Vidarbha JanAndolan Samiti

19/05/2007

Western Vidarbha :

1. Ravindra Gawande, Dhadi village in Wardha,
2. Dulichand Turkar, Sihora in Bhandara and
3. Kisan Attarkar, Patur village in Akola district

Attarkar and Ravindra ended their lives by hanging themselves while Dulichand committed suicide by swallowing pesticide, reports said.

15/05/2007 - PM Vidarbha Package and Farmers

Aid yet to reach Vidarbha farmers : Surendra Gangan
http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?NewsID=1097122

A meagre number have till now received the package of Rs 25,000 -

Though the state government has been claiming the implementation of 88 per cent of its special package for debt-ridden farmers of the Vidarbha region, the package of Rs25,000 each to thousands of farmers has not reached them yet, this apart from the government's non-compliance with its crop insurance schemes.

The state had earmarked Rs150 crores, out of the entire package of Rs1,075 crores allocated by the state, to help the debt-ridden farmers of Vidarbha. But, only Rs85 crores were allocated for the package of Rs25,000 each to nearly 60,000 farmers, out of which a meagre number of farmers have received the personal help. Expenditures have reached a mere Rs49.99 crores of the allocated amount. Even the crop insurance scheme has spent only Rs9.87 crores out of the allocated Rs19 crores.

In its presentation made to the central government last week, the state claimed Rs884.32 crores were spent of the package with a layout of Rs1,075 crores under nine different heads. The centre had also announced a special package of Rs3,750 crores to be utilised over the next three years.
"We have spent Rs 1,551.66 crores in the first year, which is 102 per cent of the allotted lay out. We have been successful in bringing 17,171 hectares under irrigation," an official from the rehabilitation department said.

The state has been prompt in its compensation to cotton-growing farmers. The state had targeted Rs370 crores and allocated Rs405.15 crores for three per cent capital formation fund, out of which Rs396.59 was spent. Interest subsidy on rescheduled crop loan, had a target of Rs225 crores and allocation Rs240.98 crores, out of which Rs 239.12 crores were spent.

The report states that 2,990 cases of suicides of debt-ridden farmers were registered during January 2001 and May 5, 2007, out of which 1,333 families of the deceased farmers have received ex-gracia assistance of Rs 1 lakh each.

29/04/2007

Western Vidarbha :

1. BALU BABULAL RATHODE, CHOUPHULI TANDA, YVATMAL
2. ANIL BHAUSINGH CHAVAN, KARWAT, BULDHANA
3. PRASHANTRAMBHAU DARANEBRAHMANI, WARDHA
4. TANAJI MOTIRAM CHANDNE MUNDEPHAL, BULDHANA
5. VISHNU DHYANESHAWAR DESHMUKH, DEOLI, WARDHA

26/04/2007

Western Vidarbha :

1. NARAYAN CHAMPATRAO JUNJUNKAR OF RALEGOAN IN YAVATMAL
2. MAHADEV RAMCHANDRA POPHALE OF DHOTERDI IN AKOLA
3. PANDURANG BHIKAJI DEVKAR OF MAZALGOAN IN BULDHANA
4. SATISH GOVIND RAGHUWANSHI OF HIRULPURNA IN AMARAVATI
5. RAJESH BHAGWAN WANKHEDE IN KALARA IN AKOLA
6. LAXMAN RAMAJI SAHARE IN CHANDOLA IN AMARAVATI

06/04/2007

Western Vidarbha :

1. SHARAVAN RATHODE, ASOLA, YAVATMAL
2. BHAURAO MESHRAM, LOHARA, YAVATMAL
3. RAISINGH CHAVAN, BHULAI, YAVATMAL
4. RAMRAO UIKE, PITHORI, NAGPUR

05/04/2007

Western Vidarbha :

1. SURYABHAN CHAVAN, YAWALI, YAVATMAL
2. DEVIDAS WADE, KHURHA, AMARAVATI
3. YOGESH PARIKHE, KISANAPUR, AMARAVATI
4. GAJANAN POHANE, KAWTHAL, WASHIM

THE RECENT REPORTS OF BANK RECOVERIES UP TO 31ST MARCH, SHOWS THAT COTTON FARMERS ARE IN DEEP ECONOMICAL CRISIS BECAUSE COTTON CROP FAILURE AND POOR MARKET RATE FOR COTTON. THIS SITUATION TOO CRITICAL TO EXPLAIN AS ACCORDING TO MAHARASHTRA GOVT. OFFICIAL REPORT THE AGRARIAN CRISIS IN THE WEST VIDARBHA IS VERY CRITICAL AND 1. 2 MILLION FARMERS OUT OF 1.7 MILLION FARMER IN THE REGION ARE UNDER DISTRESS AND MORE THAN 4,35000 ARE SUICIDE PRONE AND UNDER MAXIMUM DISTRESS, NEEDS FOOD SECURITY, HEALTH SECURITY AND COMPLETE SOCIAL PROTECTION BUT THESE BASIC ISSUES ARE NOT ADDRESSED IN THESE ANNOUNCEMENT

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
-----------------
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

21/03/2007

Western Vidarbha :
1. DEVIDAS RATHODE, PIMPARI(PANDHURNA), YAVATMAL
2. SADASHIV SHRIRAME, KAMATHWADA, YAVATMAL
3. ASHOK ONKAR, KURAHAD, YAVATMAL
4. JANRAO WANKHEDE, RAMTEK, WASHIM
5. SAWARAM RATHODE, SHIGANAPUR, WASHIM

08/03/2007

Western Vidarbha :

1. JANARDHAN SATHE, VILLAGE MAREGOAN, BULDHANA
2. RAGHUNATH DHONDU BORKAR, NAWARGOANBANDH, GONDIA
3. VITHAL ATTARKAR, VILLAGE SONADA, BULDHANA
4. SHARVAN CHICHOLKAR, VILLAGE KOPOMANDAVI, YAVATMAL
5. VITHOBA THAKARE, SALOD, YAVATMAL
6. SAHEBRAO MAPARI, VILLAGE DHANODA, WASHIM
7. VILAS CHAVAN, VILLAGE CHIROLI, AMARAVTI DISTT
8. MORSHING DANGE, VILLAGE TATAPUR, BULDHANA
9. BANDU RATHODE, VILLAGE TANDOLI, YAVATMAL

Election tours of Congress, NCP, and opposition top political leaders, are in full swing.
They are touring Vidarbha, for canvassing political support from rural voters and are waxing eloquent on agrarian crisis and why they should be voted to power to sort out the mess.
No vultures (giddha) can be seen in the deep blue, dry Vidarbha skies, these days.

07/03/2007

Western Vidarbha :
1. SHAKAR INGOLE, GRAMWADHANI, WASHIM
2. RAMBHAU KHULSANGE, HIWARA, WARDHA
3. RAMDAS SAMARTHA, SHIVANI, GADCHIROLI
4. RAIBHAN PAWAR, RAI TALAO, YAVATMAL
5. SARANGDHAR MALI, WAZEGOAN, AKOLA
6. JANUSHINGH RATHODE, IJANI, YAVATMAL
7. ASHOK SATPUTE, RALEGOAN, YAVATMAL

These suicdes of GM cotton farmers in Vidarbha, occurred during the Vidarbha election tour, and media firefighting, by Shri Vilas Rao Deshmukh, NCP Congress / Maharshtra Chief Minister.
He was claiming in media that Vidarbha agrarian suicides have begun to show a declining trend.
He also claimed that the Manmohan Singh's Vidarbha package was beginning to show results.
During this election tour from Mumbai, he begged for an additional 3-4 years in political power from voters, and blamed "vested interests" for raising issue of agrarian suicides.

One farmer Sarangdhar Mali, village Wazegoan, hanged himself during a Mental Health Counselling session with Dr Udhaorao Gadekar.
Government has decided to divert money towards mental health professionals, rather than addressing agrarian distress in Vidarbha, with agriculture policies.

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

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.

25/02/2007

Western Vidarbha :
1. PRABHAKAR WAMAN SAWAI, VILLAGE KAT AMAMLA, DISTT AMARAVATI
2. GANESH NARAYAN TIKE, VILLAGE MASANI, DISTT WASHIM
3. RAMKRISHNNA MOTIRAM GAINAR, VILLAGE ROHANA, DISTT WARDHA
4. SANTOSH MAHADEV DANDALE, OF VILLAGE PARAS, AKOLA DISTT.
5. RAHUL NARAYAN CHINCHE, VILLAGE KRUHA, DISTT YAVATMAL.

23/02/2007

Western Vidarbha :
1. Devidas Umarkar, village Bhari in akola
2. Vasant Khandar, Kapikheda, Amaravati
3. Ramrao Nathuji Umare umara in Washim distt
4. Pandurang sitaram Raut(37), village Hiwargaon

Apathy of MSEDCL, power cuts are reported to be amongst the causes. It seems discontinuation of power supply in his farm during Rabi crop season, may have been the immediate cause. A bribe of Rs. 20,000 for reconnecting the water pump, was allegedly sought by the officers of MSEDCL.

AFTER INDIAN Congress PRIME MINISTER's VISIT TO VIDARBHA, AND ANNOUNCEMENT OF SPECIAL PACKAGE RS.3750 CRORE, MORE THAN 1000 FARMERS SUICIDE REPORTED BY GOVT. OF MAHARSHTRA OFFICIALLY IN SIX DISTRICT OF SUICIDE PRONE VIDARBHA. YEAR 2006 WAS ALSO REPORTED HIGHEST NUMBER OF FARM SUICIDE - ACCORDING MAHARASHTRA GOVT. 1452 FARMERS COMMITTED SUICIDE. IN 2007, THE DISTRESS AMONG THE FARMERS IS NOT COMING DOWN.
January 2007 - 70 FARMERS
February 2007 - 68 suicides

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