PMK appeals for loan waiver after farmer’s suicide

In a statement here on Sunday, he said the farmer, Ramasamy, had committed suicide by consuming poison unable to repay the Rs 70 lakh loan he had borrowed from a bank by pledging his land documents.  He said lack of water for irrigation, inadequate prices for their produce and damages to crops due to natural calamity were the prime reasons for such incidents. 

Ramadoss expressed his heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family and appealed to the Central government to waive his loans and direct the bank authorities to return his land documents. The 65-year-old farmer of Veppampallampudur near Vadavalli in Karamadai union owned six acres of land, pledged his property in 2014 and took a loan of Rs 60 lakh from a public sector bank to put up a greenhouse shed. 

He had expected 50 per cent subsidy from the Union government under a scheme but could not get it. He then took Rs 5 lakh from money lenders to cultivate capsicum, but it did not provide him the expected yield as the prices dropped significantly.  

Six months ago, he had borrowed Rs. 6.5 lakh by pledging jewellery from private financiers to repay a portion of the bank loan. Last month, the bank authorities advised him to repay Rs 9 lakh without delay. 

An upset Ramaswamy, who went to the field on Thursday did not return home. He was found unconscious on the farm and came to know that he had consumed poison.  He was admitted to a hospital where he died on Saturday evening. 

Last month, a 26-year-old farmer had committed suicide at Orathur in Ariyalur district, upset over a private finance firm seizing his tractor to recover Rs two lakh dues after allegedly insulting and abusing him.