Maintaining that the investigation into the farmer suicide cases by the district Collectors is not at all impartial, the BJP on Thursday demanded a judicial probe into the unfortunate incidents immediately.
“The investigation into the farmer suicide cases by the district Collectors is not impartial and the reason is best known to the State Government. We, therefore, demand a magistrate-level probe into the cases to bring truths to limelight,” said senior party leader Bijay Mohapatra at a Press conference here.
Mohapatra, after winding up his visit to the drought-affected south Odisha districts between October 31 and November 3, said the situations in Rayagada, Gajapati and Kandhamal districts are disastrous.
“We visited 14 blocks of Rayagada, Gajapati and Kandhamal districts. The situation is very grim there. Neither a State Government official nor any Minister have visited these areas so far. Around 90 per cent of the people of the three districts have already migrated to Kerala and other States,” said Mohapatra.
Hence, the state Government should declare these 14 blocks as completely drought-affected areas, he added.
“The Government should waive all types of agriculture loans, may it be from bank and cooperative societies, which would really bring hope among distressed farmers’ community,” said Mohapatra.
He also came down heavily on the Government for its failure to frame rules for implementation of the National Food Security Act (NFSA) in the State as required under NFSA rules.
“The NFSA programme has started in Odisha, but the rules are yet to be framed. District and State-level commissions and redressal committees have not been formed,” pointed out Mohapatra.