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Upset over the low yield of wheat this year, two farmers from Bathinda district committed suicide on Wednesday in separate incidents.
While 39-year-old Jaspal Singh ended his life by jumping in front of the moving train, another farmer Gurdeep Singh committed suicide by consuming pesticide. It has been learnt that both the farmers have lakhs of debt to pay.
The farmers’ suicides have come at a time when the wheat harvesting and procurement is in full swing across the State. However, many farmers are troubled by the low yield of wheat due to intense heat conditions, and are demanding the State Government to pay compensation for the same.
In the first incident, Jaspal Singh of Masarkhana village in Bathinda district committed suicide by jumping in front of a moving train due to low yield of wheat. It has been learnt that Jaspal has been troubled since many days due to debt, and his troubles amplified with the low wheat yield this season. He was not able to repay the loan of Rs nine lakh he had taken from a private bank.
In another incident, Gurdeep Singh of Mansa Khurd village committed suicide by consuming pesticide. Troubled by the low yield of wheat, the farmer was facing a debt of Rs four lakh.
A farmer leader from BKU Ekta Ugrahan Harjinder Singh said that farmers are opting for suicides due to the wrong policies for the agriculture sector. “Jaspal has a debt of Rs nine lakh, due to which he was upset. That's why he has taken this step. He thought of paying off some amount after the wheat harvest, but the yield was so low that the family's dream was shattered,” he added.
Earlier, Jaspal's brother had also committed suicide about ten years ago due to debt. The deceased had 12-13 acres of land and used to cultivate some land on contract basis, but he also committed suicide due to low yield of wheat.
Harjinder Singh demanded from the State Government to give proper compensation to the farmer's family.