A day after Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik assured drought-hit farmers of all support for repayment of their loans, three more farmers died in Dhenkanal, Keonjhar and Bargarh districts, respectively, on Monday reportedly after consuming pesticides.
Satrughna Behera of Tikarpada village in Keonjhar district ended his life due to crop loss and debt burden while Baidhar Pradhan of Sankulei under Dhenkanal Sadar block and Pabitra Bariha of Saribahal in Bargarh district killed themselves by consuming poison.
Baidhar Pradhan had consumed pesticide on Sunday and was admitted to the SCB Medical College Hospital in Cuttack. He died while undergoing treatment.
Family members of Pradhan said he was under severe mental stress due to loan burden. Severe crop loss had added to his woes of debt stress, they added.
Similarly, Bariha had grown paddy and vegetables in eight acres of land this year for which he had borrowed loans of around `1.5 lakh from the Uco Bank and the SBI and `50,000 from private moneylenders, sources said.
As his crops were completely damaged due to scanty rainfall, he took the drastic step by consuming pesticide two days ago. He was admitted to Baragarh District Headquarters Hospital, family members said.
Villagers and family members demanded compensation for crop loss. As per the latest report, no administrative officials had reached the village, sources said.
Notably, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, after returning from a five-day New Delhi tour, had saidSunday that the State Government would reschedule crop loans for the drought-affected farmers and hence they should not be worried over repayment of agriculture loans.