Crop loss: Farmer ends life in Kalasa

Chandregowda, a 60-year-old farmer from S K Megal village near Kalasa, ended his life after being dejected over the endless wait for compensation towards the crop loss that he had incurred during the recent floods.

This is the second instance of a farmer in Mudigere taluk committing suicide due to delay in the release of compensation.

Chandregowda consumed insecticide on Wednesday night. Even though he was admitted to a hospital in Kalasa, he breathed his last on Thursday morning.

The one-and-a-half acre paddy field belonging to Chandregowda was covered in silt due to the floods in August. Also, the coffee plantation owned by him was destroyed.

Chandregowda was neck-deep in debt. His troubles worsened when he was found to be suffering from an ailment. He went into depression, as there was no sign of government releasing compensation towards crop loss, family members said. He is survived by his wife and two sons.

Crowd protest

A huge crowd, which gathered outside the hospital in Kalasa on Thursday, vented its ire against the Centre and the state governments which have failed to release compensation to the farmers hit by the floods. A few people also staged a protest on the occasion.

Zilla Panchayat member K R Prabhakar, JD(S) leader Manjappaiah and Taluk Panchayat member Hittalamakki Rajendra were present.

There was an undeclared bandh in the town on Thursday. Shopkeepers pulled down shutters as a mark of protest.

The atmosphere was tense for some time when some owners refused to close down their shops.

JD(S) leader Manjappaiah, addressing the crowd outside the hospital, said that the government should immediately release compensation to those who had lost their houses and livelihood. “If they fail to do so, more farmers like Gowda will end their lives out of sheer despair,” he added.

JD(S) state committee vice president Jwalanayya, Block Congress president Srinivas Hebbar and JD(S) leader Brahmadeva were present.

Former MLA B B Ningaiah, JD(S) district president Ranjan Ajith Kumar and state vice president R R Devraj and others visited the family of the deceased farmer Chandregowda on Thursday evening and consoled the family
members.