Youth Congress President Sachin Meega said that arecanut is grown for the last several years and about 8 crore labourers are depending on arecanut for livelihood. “Owing to the yellow leaf disease affecting arecanut, the growers are in distress,” he said.As many as 118 arecanut growers have committed suicide in the State having unable to pay the loan.

He urged the Prime Minister to implement Gorak Singh committee recommendations to help solve problems being faced by the arecanut growers.

The government should waive off the loan borrowed by those growers whose arecanut is affected by yellow leaf diseases and the financial assistance should be given for those for growing alternative crops. The delegation also urged the prime Minister to set up a board for arecanut.