The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Political parties urged to educate ryots

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, May 23, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Political parties urged to educate ryots

By Our Staff Reporter

HYDERABAD, MAY 22. The Andhra Pradesh Rythu Sangham, while expressing distress over the continuing suicide deaths of farmers, on Saturday called upon political parties and ryots' organisations to create confidence that ending lives was not a solution to debt problems.

B.Tulasidas, president, and S. Malla Reddy, general secretary of the sangham, said awareness should be created among farmers that they should boldly face the issue of debts and get it solved. They impressed upon ryots not to resort to desperate measures as the Government had instructed the district-level officials to respond to their problems.

The sangham leaders urged the Government to ensure that adequate loans were extended by banks and it should encourage farmers to explain their woes. Steps should be taken to make sure that private money-lenders did not resort to harassment while realising their dues.

According to the sangham, 26 farmers had committed suicide during the last three days in Medak, Nizamabad, Mahbubnagar, Khammam, Warangal, Karimnagar, Guntur, Nellore, Chittoor, Anantapur and West Godavari districts.

It attributed these suicides to pressure brought upon and humiliation caused to them by private money-lenders. Keeping this in view the Government should impose restrictions on money-lenders' activities.

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