JOIN US The High Court on Friday slapped a contempt notice on Union Ministry of Finance Secretary J S Gujral for failing to implement the court’s order to waive loans of areca growers who suffered crop loss due to yellow leaf disease (YLD).
The division bench comprising Justice N K Patil and Justice C R Kumaraswamy, which heard the contempt plea of the petitioners Sachin Meegi and others, residents of Chikmagalur, and areca growers, ordered the issue of contempt notice to the Centre.
The petitioners had stated that despite the High Court order to implement the Gorakh Singh Report on waiver of loans to farmers who own less than 10 acres and whose areca cultivation had been affected due to YLD, no steps had been taken in this regard. Though the court had directed that the report be implemented within three months on September 25, 2012, the petitioners submitted that so far the order has not been complied with.
Pointing out that the banks were now harassing them to return the loans, the petitioners contended that to avoid embarrassment, many villagers were migrating to cities. Further, stating that farmers who earned more than Rs 5 lakh were now earning a mere Rs 20,000 and unable to make a livelihood, the petitioners sought contempt action be initiated against the Centre.