VIKARABAD: Twenty-three-year-old Shabad Naresh from Pedda Madharam village in Vikarabad made multiple visits to the tahsildar’s office in Parigi pleading for release of compensation after his farmer father’s suicide, but in vain. Fed up, Naresh also took his own life about three months ago unable to bear pressure from moneylenders.
The suicides of father and son tell the tale of distress in Telangana’s agricultural families, hit by suicides on one hand and waiting for compensation on the other.
A visit by TOI to Parigi and Kodangal areas of Vikarabad revealed how families of suicide victims are often left without aid, while revenue officials express helplessness citing lack of funds to pay ex-gratia to the families of the deceased.
According to Rythu Swarajya Vedika, an umbrella organisation for farmer unions, there are around 400 families in Telangana from before Rythu Bima – a farmer’s group life insurance scheme – was launched, who are waiting for compensation since 2018. In Vikarabad, there are 12 such families.
The TRS government introduced the Rythu Bima group life insurance scheme for farmers in 2018-19. Under the scheme Rs 5 lakh is deposited in the nominee’s account within days of an enrolled farmer’s death.
Naresh’s father Shabad Bandaiah, a cotton farmer, ended his life on August 6, 2018. He took loans of Rs 1 lakh from a nationalised bank and another Rs 3.5 lakh from private moneylenders. Bandaiah, belonging to the Scheduled Caste community, owned three acres.
Padmamma, wife of Bandaiah, said apart from Rs 2 lakh debt due to their daughter’s marriage, they had another Rs 4 lakh debt owing to cultivation. “We purchased oxen for Rs 1.3 lakh and sold them for Rs 40,000 because of lack of fodder. We cultivated cotton but the yield fell drastically. My husband killed himself because of mounting financial problems,” she said.
Since the death of Bandaiah, she and Naresh have been making rounds to the tahsildar’s office. “As the land was transferred in my name in 2019, I took Rs 1 lakh loan to cultivate the crop. My son called the helpline and the matter was escalated to district officials, but no compensation was released. Vexed with the situation, Naresh consumed pesticide on Diwali day in November 2020,” she rued.
An FIR issued by Parigi police listed Bandaiah’s debts. “Due to rains, he suffered crop loss and unable to pay the debts, he hanged himself,” the FIR said.
Making matters worse, the family had suffered successive crop losses on leased land as well as own land of three acres where they cultivated maize and cotton. “They also had a borewell which failed and cost them Rs 50,000. The family ran debts of Rs 4 lakh at 3% interest and a bank loan in SBI, Parigi, at Rs 95,000. With pressure mounting to clear the debts, Bandaiah took the extreme step,” Naveen Ramisetti of RSV said.
After his father’s death, Naresh took the responsibility of the family and tried to get the compensation amount. Eventually, the family was sanctioned compensation under GO No. 194, but due to the state government’s lack of funds, the file was kept pending.
“They continued to cultivate in their three acres. With moneylenders insisting on repayment of loans and with no help coming from anywhere, Naresh consumed poison,” Naveen said.
The family is distraught as both earning members took their own lives. Krishna (19), younger brother of Naresh, is specially abled and is not in a position to shoulder any responsibility. “All the load of taking care of the family is now on Padmamma,” said Naveen.