4,850 Vidarbha farmer suicides in last four years: VJAS
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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
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HIGH COURT ORDERED GOVT. TO FILE DETAILED AFFIDAVIT ON THE SCHEME OF FARMERS LOAN WAIVER OF RS. 71,000 CRORES AS HOW FAR IT IS BENEFITED TO THE VIDARBHA FARMERS IN DISTRESS AND ALSO ORDER TO TABLE DR. NARENDRA JADHAV COMMITTEE REPORT REGARDING IMPLEMENTATION OF PACKAGE SCHEMES FOR FARMERS IN CRISIS :
HIGH COURT TOOK SERIOUS NOTE OF CONTINUED FARMERS SUICIDES AND PLIGHT OF POOR FARMERS IN VIDARBHA AND ASKED STATE GOVT. TO FURNISH EVERY DETAILS WITHIN FOUR WEEKS.
Nagpur, 20TH October, 2008.
Taking the serious cognizance of continued farmers suicides and failure of various packages announced for the crisis ridden Vidarbha Farmers, the Division Bench of Bombay High Court at Nagpur expressed great concern about the matter & approach of the State Govt. in tackling the issue and asked to furnish every details of the farmers loan waiver scheme involving Rs. 71,000 Crores announced by Central Government and its benefit to the poor farmers in crisis ridden farmers in six districts of Vidarbha region and further also asked to furnish copy of report submitted by Dr. Narendra Jadhav Committee on package schemes and its implementation within four weeks.
Division Bench headed by Justice Dilip Sinha and Justice A.P. Bhangale at Nagpur Bench of Bombay High Court while hearing the Public Interest Litigation filed by Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti, President, Shri Kishore Tiwari, today expressed its great concern on the entire crisis and recorded that there was much hue & cry about the mismanagement of the various packages, hence the respondent State has appointed a one man Committee consisting of Dr. Narendra Jadhav – The Vice Chancellor, Pune University, Pune to verify that the packages are properly executed and to suggest the remedial measures for better implementation of the packages. The petitioner – Sh. Kishore Tiwari himself appeared before the Commission and extended his co-operation by submitting various suggestions and data. The Commission has submitted his report to the respondent State on 17.07.08, but according to the petitioner – Sh. Kishore Tiwari no action is initiated pursuant to said report and for proper assistance to the Hon'ble Court in the instant matter the presence of above report on record is also necessary. Hence ordered the respondent State and Union Government to furnish the copy of the said report.
During the course of today hearing, it is pointed out by the Counsel for Petitioner Adv. Sh. Firdos Mirza that –
1) That Hon'ble Court was pleased to entertain the instant petition in the larger public interest considering the reports regarding suicides committed by the cotton growing farmers in the western Vidarbha and the agrarian crisis. Pursuant to the cognizance taken by this Hon'ble Court, from time to time the respondents have declared various packages and placed their details before this Hon'ble Court, still the pace of suicides is unaffected.
2) That in earlier petition before the Hon'ble Divisional Bench of this Hon'ble Court at Bombay the respondent State has submitted that the principal amount to be rescheduled in respect of the loan outstanding against the farmers is of Rs.203 crores and the interest to be written off is Rs.61 crores. Later on by filing affidavit dated 3.9.07 the respondent State submitted that towards interest waiver it has paid Rs.825 crores from P.M. packages and Rs.240 crores from State package and the total overdue as on 30.6.06 was Rs.1407 crores.
3) That recently the Central Government has announced the complete loan waiver amounting to Rs.71000 crores. As mentioned above already Rs.1065 crores were paid by the Government to the Banks towards interest waiver out of the total amount of Rs.1407 crores, hence now the new quantum of the amount disbursed towards loan waivers of the farmers raises questions about its authenticity in the background of the fact that the amount is coming from the pocket of the tax payer.
4) That in compliance with the High Court Order dated 11.07.06, 7.8.06 and 6.8.07 as made a Web site operational pertaining to the relief packages, measures and programs formulated by the State for the benefit of the farmers specially the suicide affected area. The petitioner went through the contents of this Web site, but could not found the details of the beneficiaries and the exact amount paid to each Bank, hence the application has been filed for necessary directions to the respondent for placing the record and details of the loan weavers before this Hon'ble Court.
5) That there was much hue & cry about the mismanagement of the various packages, hence the respondent State has appointed a one man Committee consisting of Dr. Narendra Jadhav – The Vice Chancellor, Pune University, Pune to verify that the packages are properly executed and to suggest the remedial measures for better implementation of the packages. The petitioner himself appeared before the Commission and extended his co-operation by submitting various suggestions and data. The suggestions made by Petitioner – Sh. Kishore Tiwari before the said committee were very much appreciated by the said Dr. Narendra Jadhav Commission which recommended Food Security to 4,42,000 farmers family in extreme distress and recommended State to supply 25 Kgs foodgrains at subsidies rate at par with BPL and also recommended Cashless Health Card to 92,321 families in which serious illness problem have been found by the survey conducted by State Govt. The Petitioner pointed out that even though the commission has submitted his report to the respondent State on 17.07.08, but no action is initiated pursuant to said report. So for proper assistance to this Hon'ble Court in the instant matter, the presence of above report on record is also necessary. Hence Court Order its submission within four weeks.
It may be recalled that the said Public Interest Litigation (PIL) was filed by Petitioner Sh. Kishore Tiwari in the year 2005. Earlier by its Order dated 13th June 2006, due to negligent & casual approach of the State & its bureaucrats to comply with the earlier orders passed by the High-Court, the Division Bench of High Court had imposed cost of Rs. 1,000/- each to be recovered from the Chief Secretary & 12 Other Top I.A.S. Bureaucrats officials of the rank of Principal Secretary, Secretaries, Divisional Commissioners and Director General of Police to be paid within 2 weeks, otherwise the reply - affidavit would not be considered the order of imposition of cost of Rs.1000/- each was modified after the prayer made by the Advocate General of Maharashtra State, who had to rush Nagpur for pleading before the Court in this Writ Petition.
The Public Interest Litigation ¨Criminal Writ Petition was filed by Shri Kishore Tiwari with the wide prayers in the interest of Cotton Cultivating Farmers community at large. The prayers are as under that –
i) the Hon'ble High Court to take cognizance of the plight of poor Farmers who were compelled to commit suicide due to wrongful policies of the State,
ii) to order necessary probe / enquiry in the role of State Officers in promoting B.T. Cotton which resulted in the failure of crop,
iii) to direct investigation through C.B.I., Vigilance Commission, C.I.D. or any other independent agency in the matter of sale of bogus and duplicate B.T. Cotton seeds by the companies and involvement of the officials of the State in inducing the poor farmers for cultivating the B.T. Cotton,
iv) to order prosecution of the guilty officials for the offences punishable under Section 306, 409, 420 & 120 (B) of Indian Penal Code and their overacts causing series of suicides of farmers,
v) to direct the State to compensate the families of the farmers who have compelled to commit suicide by the negligence of the State by providing Rs. 5,00,000/- each without any disparity or choose & pick policy,
vi) to direct the State to take immediate measures for granting financial assistance to the Cotton Growing Farmers & to take further steps to protect the farmers from the coercive recovery at the hands of banks & private money lenders,
vii) to direct the State to place Action Taken Report on the recommendations of various Committees,
viii) to direct the State to take appropriate action against the B.T. Cotton Seeds companies for compensating the poor farmers died untimely &
ix) other reliefs which High Court may find suitable in the facts and circumstances.
The petition will be taken up for further hearing after 4 weeks at the Nagpur Bench of Bombay High Court. Advocate Firdos Mirza & Advocate Vinod Tiwari appeared for the petitioner and State was represented by Additional Govt. Pleader and APP Smt. Bharati Dangre, whereas Central Government was represented by Adv. Sh. Shyam Ahirkar.
Kindly arrange to release this important news in your esteemed daily.
Thanking you,
Yours faithfully,
Santosh Netam,
Media Incharge
Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti
Nagpur.
VJAS moved in The High Court of Judicature at Bombay
Bench at
Application for Directions to Produce Record
which is as under
The petitioner / applicants submits as under:-
1) This
2) That in earlier petition before the Hon’ble Divisional Bench of this
3) That recently the Central Government has announced the complete loan waiver amounting to Rs.71000 crores. As mentioned above already Rs.1065 crores were paid by the Government to the Banks towards interest waiver out of the total amount of Rs.1407 crores, hence now the new quantum of the amount disbursed towards loan waivers of the farmers raises questions about its authenticity in the background of the fact that the amount is coming from the pocket of the tax payer.
4) That in compliance with the order dated 11.07.06, 7.8.06 and 6.8.07 as made a Web site operational pertaining to the relief packages, measures and programs formulated by the State for the benefit of the farmers specially the suicide affected area. The petitioner went through the contents of this Web site, but could not get the detail of the beneficiaries and the exact amount paid to each Bank, hence he is making this application for necessary directions to the respondent for placing the record and details of the loan weavers before this
5) That there was much hue and cry about the mismanagement of the various packages, hence the respondent State has appointed a one man Committee consisting of Dr. Narendra Jadhav – The Vice Chancellor, Pune University, Pune to verify that the packages are properly executed and to suggest the remedial measures for better implementation of the packages. The petitioner himself appeared before the Commission and extended his co-operation by submitting various suggestions and data. The Commission has submitted his report to the respondent State on 17.07.08, but according to the petitioner no action is initiated pursuant to said report. For proper assistance to this
P R A Y E R :- It is therefore, most humbly and respectfully prayed that the respondent State of
a) produce the relevant record regarding complete loan waivers of the farmers containing the exact figure of amount paid to the Banks with their names and the Taluka wise beneficiaries in the 6 Districts of West Maharashtra.
b) produce the details of modalities and procedure adopted for identification of the beneficiaries and deciding the quantum of loan and interest outstanding against him.
c) produce copy of the report submitted by Dr. Narendra Jadhao Committee.
This PIL is fixed before High court on Monday dated 20th October and it is expected that HC will take serious note of on going state apathy in vidarbha agrarian crisis
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Please release this pres note
Thanking you,
Yours faithfully,
For VIDARBHA JAN ANDOLAN SAMITI
KISHORE TIWARI
PRESIDENT
contact-094221088
VIDARBHA JAN ANDOLAN SAMITI
11, Trisaran Society, In front of
Tel No. (0712) 2282457 Mob No. 9422108846 / 9371137653 / 9373121947
(Regd Office : At Post : Pandharkawada-445 302, Tq : Kelapur, Distt : Yavatmal) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ref-loan waiver Crisis-2008 PRESS-NOTE Dated-17th october 2008
Once again Bt.cotton failed in vidarbha claiming 5 more farm suicides in last two days
VJAS to start Indefinite fast agitation from 26th october to demand Govt. procurement of cotton on MSP
Nagpur- Dated-17th october 2008
http://kishortiwari.blogspot.com/
Once again Bt.cotton failed in vidarbha claiming 5 more farm suicides in last two days
Killer Bt.cotton has been once gain failed in vidarbha as 60% standing crop which was earlier effected by attack of mealy bug now has been destroyed by ‘Lalya attack” that’s suddenly in rain fed area standing Bt. cotton crop gets completely damaged as it was the case in year 2005-06 when standing crop on 4lacs hector Bt. cotton crop was damaged and maharashtra Govt. compensated the same but this year damage is much more larger as area under Bt.cotton cultivation is under more than 12 lacs hector and losses are in tune of Rs.2000 crore (please see photos),this sudden economic losses has claimed five farm suicides in vidarbha in last two days and they are identified as
1.DIGAMBER SOLAV IN WARDHA
2.KAUTIKRAO JADHAV IN BULDHANA
3.NIVRUTI JADHAO IN WASHIM
4.MAHNAJI LAVALE IN
5.SUMAN YASHWANT IN WASHIM
all victims are belonging backward dalit and tribal families who were debt trapped farmers and in acute financial crisis due to sudden crop ,Kishor Tiwari of vidarbha jan andolan samiti informed in a press release today.
.
.
VJAS to start Indefinite fast agitation from 26th october to demand Govt. procurement of cotton on MSP
In last fortnight the cotton prices has fallen from Rs.3200 per quintal to Rs.2300 per quintal and local traders have started cotton procurement below the minimum support price MSP and farmers are forced to sale the cotton at throw away price in distress sale as maharashtra Govt. failed to start it’s procurement centers on 2nd October as announced earlier and there is no action at the level state run cotton marketing federation to start it’s centers before “diwali” and cotton growers will be at huge losses resulting more farm suicides in vidarbha ,tiwari feared .
“If Govt. failed to procure the farmers cotton at MSP then it’s move to raise the MSP would be rediculos and will create more complications to the existing agrarian crisis ,hence VJAS have been demanding immediate opening of all procurements centers and in order topress our demand ,we are starting “fast unto death” agtation from 26th October .farmers who are distress are loosing the confidence due to pathetic approach of administration and nothing is reaching to them that is also one of the factor of increase in recent farm suicide rate in vidarbha .
It’s innocent victimisation leading to the mass genocides of vidarbha distressed farmers due to economical collapse in cotton crop failure and heavy losses price cause to heavily subsidised US cotton and It’s too impossible to add and list of these farm suicides further”kishor tiwari said.
VJAS has also demanded Govt. relief to all farmers who lost their Bt.cotton this year and provision for to give fresh credit to dying cotton farmers and request Indian Govt. to start NFSM (National food security mission) and special outlay of RKVY(Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana) along with a comprehensive policy for land rights to landless, marginal farmers and tribals cultivating barren land for vidarbha and the demand to allocate dedicated funds on the lines of AIBP for farm ponds, community tanks and give incentives to farmers/villages who/which harness water but nobody in the administration is serious over the vidarbha agrarian crisis ,tiwari added. .
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Please release this pres note
Thanking you,
Yours faithfully,
For VIDARBHA JAN ANDOLAN SAMITI
KISHORE TIWARI
PRESIDENT
contact-09422108846
Vidarbha JanAndolan Samiti
Regd. Office: 11, Trisaran Society, In Front of Somalwar School, Khamla, Nagpur – 440 025.
Ph. 0712 – 0712-3048552 / 50 / 51. Mobile – 9371137653/ 9822593943/9422108846..
Ref. : VJAS/Coll. & Dist.Magis./179/2008
To,
The Collector & District Magistrate, Kind Attn : Dr. Pravin Darade, IAS
Nagpur District, Nagpur.
Sub : Gross violations of provisions of Agriculture Land Ceiling Act and Bombay Agriculture Land Tenancy (Vidarbha Area) Act, 1956 by the Land Developers acting through Individual, Firms, Private Limited Companies and/or infrastructure companies grabbing hundred of acres of land in the single name or under Development Agreements.
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Demand to take immediate action and to implement provisions of Agriculture Land Ceiling Act and Bombay Agriculture Land Tenancy (Vidarbha Area) Act, 1956
Ref : Exploitations Farmers by the Mafia of Land Developers, firms, companies
and Corporates in gross violations of Statutory provisions.
Dear Sir,
Ours is the organization fighting for the cause of poor farmers, especially the farmers' community in distress in the various districts of Vidarbha Region of Maharashtra State. Our organization is highlighting the plights of the farmers and their exploitation by the land mafias who all are involved in making the poor farmers as landless.
It has been observed that in an around Nagpur city there are several Land Developers acting through Individual, Firms, Private Limited Companies and/or infrastructure companies several hundred acres of Agriculture land is being purchased. There are serious lapses in the transaction of such sale / purchase and recording mutation entries by the revenue authorities.
The provisions pertaining to prior permission of purchase of land by the non agriculturists - Land Developers acting through Individual, Firms, Private Limited Companies and/or infrastructure companies – is not being followed. Similarly, provisions pertaining to Land holding restrictions under Agriculture Land Ceiling Act is not at all implemented in its true spirit & meaning.
For want of statutory control over such restrictions of land holdings, Land Developers acting through Individual, Firms, Private Limited Companies and/or infrastructure companies have purchased several hundred acres of agriculture lands. It is wondered that the provisions Land holding restrictions under Agriculture Land Ceiling Act is not at all implemented.
Due to this the land mafias are becoming owners of several hundred acres of land directly or indirectly as the provisions pertaining to Land holding restrictions under Agriculture Land Ceiling Act is not followed in its true spirit & meaning. No prior permission for purchase of agriculture lands by the - Land Developers acting through Individual, Firms, Private Limited Companies and/or an infrastructure company is obtained in several cases. This is the gross violations of the statutory provisions and in turns resulting in exploitation of the farmers and the farm lands strictly meant for agriculture purposes. As result thereof several hectors of good agriculture land is being illegally purchased / sold to such - Land Developers acting through Individual, Firms, Private Limited Companies and/or infrastructure companies.
It is most serious that mutation of such purchase of agriculture land in violations of the Acts by the - Land Developers acting through Individual, Firms, Private Limited Companies and/or infrastructure companies, is openly carried out by Revenue authorities in Nagpur District without verifying the documents such as permissions under the provisions of Bombay Agriculture Land Tenancy (Vidarbha Area) Act, 1956 and / or the fact that provisions pertaining to Land holding restrictions under Agriculture Land Ceiling Act is not seen / verified prior to the orders of recording mutation in the Government Records. Similarly, in many cases the conditions of such permission are not recorded on mutation records and/or not carefully seen by the revenue authorities while recording such mutation entries. The conditions imposed while granting permissions under Bombay Agriculture Land Tenancy (Vidarbha Area) Act, 1956 to such Land Developers acting through Individual, Firms, Private Limited Companies and/or infrastructure companies are not followed, even then the revenue authorities are neglecting to take suitable action in the matter.
If we scrutinize the available computerized land records of entire district / region, one can come to know the names of such Land Developers acting through Individual, Firms, Private Limited Companies and/or infrastructure companies who have crossed restrictions on land holding under Ceiling Act and violations of provisions of and Bombay Agriculture Land Tenancy (Vidarbha Area) Act, 1956.
This all directly and indirectly resulting increase in huge price rise of the agriculture land and indirectly influencing the farmers community to sell their agriculture land to such mafias Land Developers acting through Individual, Firms, Private Limited Companies and/or infrastructure companies and in turns ultimately against the interest of agriculturist / farmers community which are being exploited.
PRAYER
In view of above, you are kindly requested to initiate immediate action to -
1. Ban such sale – purchase transactions which are in-violations of Agriculture Land Ceiling Act and Bombay Agriculture Land Tenancy (Vidarbha Area) Act, 1956.
2. Order immediate high level enquiry of such violations Agriculture Land Ceiling Act and
Bombay Agriculture Land Tenancy (Vidarbha Area) Act, 1956 by the Land Developers acting through Individual, Firms, Private Limited Companies and/or infrastructure companies in grabbing the agriculture lands.
3. Order detailed enquiry, scrutiny of computerized land records and order review & reversal of mutation entries passed by the Revenue Authorities in favor of Land Developers acting through Individual, Firms, Private Limited Companies and/or infrastructure companies and/or suitable action be initiated for such violations.
4. Take suitable action against the revenue authority and persons involved therein who acted arbitrarily to help such Land Developers acting through Individual, Firms, Private Limited Companies and/or infrastructure companies.
5. Grant any other relief / order in the facts and circumstances of the case in the interest of agriculturist/ farmers to stop their exploitation at the hands of such land mafias acting as Land Developers acting through Individual, Firms, Private Limited Companies and/or infrastructure companies.
Thanking you,
Yours faithfully,
Adv. VINOD TIWARI
LAW CHARTERED (Advocates, Solicitors, Arbitrators & Corporate Advisors)
Counsel for KISHORE TIWARI
PRESIDENT - VIDARBHA JANANDOLAN SAMITI
Copy to –
1. Hon'ble Chief Secretary, Govt. of Mah., Mantralaya, Mumbai-400032.
2. Hon'ble Principal Secretary, Revenue Dept., Govt. of Mah., Mantralaya, Mumbai-400032.
3. Hon'ble Divisional Commissioner, Nagpur Revenue Division, Nagpur.