By P S Bhavana
Bhubaneswar: A fact-finding team, after visiting Malikamunda village in Bolangir and investigating the suicide of a cotton farmer Akrura Sahu and his two young daughters, has come up with demands of `immediate remedial measures by Orissa government and of a high-level inquiry' into the cause of the deaths.

Their observation, after meeting the family members of the deceased and other villagers, puts debt as the main reason for the act.

At a press conference here on Thursday, the team claimed that this situation was the after-math of bio-diesel and other companies taking over agricultural land, farmers giving up cereal and pulses cultivation for BT cotton farming, and getting into a debt rut as a result. Another cause, they stated was the passing of the new Contract Farming Bill.

They expressed apprehensions about rampant farmer suicides, like in high-tech agricultural areas of Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, if the situation was not nipped in the bud.

Said Prafulla Samantara, president, Lok Shakti Abhijan, "In these villages, companies are luring farmers into leasing their land for three years at the rate of Rs 7,000 per acre. Besides profit off the crop, yearly bonuses are also promised, which was lucrative. But a few companies are also using unethical methods to claim land. It's a conspiracy that doesn't leave the farmer with much legal choice.

"In the first year, the cotton crop result was good (about 5-6 quintals), but now the produce has dropped to 2-2.5 quintals a year. Moreover, the cost of per quintal has dropped to Rs 1,800. For Rs 700-2,800 earning, the investment is Rs 8,000-10,000 per acre, which is procured as loan from 'Sahukars' on a 50 per cent interest rate. Each family is living with more than Rs 25,000 as debt and with time the land loses its fertility. So later, even if they desire they cannot return to traditional crop farming."

With informal and formal banking systems in the state offering loans to these farmers and lucrative land lease schemes, the farmers soon get caught in a vicious debt cycle that makes them reach a point of no-return.

"If this situation is not checked or corrected, in the next three to four years companies would have taken over agricultural land area with nothing left for the farmers to work on," added Chittaranjan Mohanty, human rights activist and president of the Orissa unit of Janata Dal (United).

The voluntary team also comprised Natabar Sarangi, president, Prachi Chasi Meli and ex-headmaster, farmer and organic farming expert from Nariso; Murari Purohit, working president, Sambalpur Zilla Krushak Surakhya Sangathan; and M Govindu, president, Apex Committee, Pani Panchayat, Sambalpur district.

The team recommended formation of a committee with representation from pro-farmers' and farmers' organisations, reviewing of the Contract Farming Bill, making agricultural policies farmer-friendly, stopping of BT cotton farming and returning to traditional crop farming, punishing and taking legal action against the guilty, and adequately compensating the victims.

"A detailed report with all the points, demands and suggestions will be submitted to the Orissa government in a week," said Natabar Sarangi.