The Hindu : Karnataka News : Farmers to get back their ‘seized’ tractors

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Karnataka

Karnataka

Farmers to get back their ‘seized’ tractors

Staff Correspondent

ICICI Bank agrees to reschedule loans
Two farmers ended lives after their tractors
were seized

MYSORE: Farmers, whose tractors have been seized by the ICICI Bank for the delay in payment of loan instalments, are relieved with the bank officials agreeing to return their tractors and reschedule the loan.

Deputy Commissioner P. Manivannan told The Hindu that in view of the recent protests by the farmers, whose tractors have been seized by ICICI Bank last year, a meeting of leaders of Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha (KRRS) and senior bank officials was convened on Wednesday.

Farmers have explained to the bank officials that they were facing problems in carrying agriculture operations in view of seizure of tractors. Bank officials have assured the farmers of returning their tractors and rescheduling the loans.

In view of the contradictory statements by farmers and officials of the bank, there was confusion over the timing of seizure of tractors. While farmers have claimed that bank officials have seized their tractors recently, the latter denied it. However, the air was cleared when bank officials clarified that the tractors were seized two months before the suicide of farmers in Mysore and Chamarajanagar districts.

H.M. Manjunath a farmer from Hospura village of Nanjangud taluk in Mysore district, and Siddaraju of Harve village of Chamarajanagar district, committed suicide allegedly owing to “arm-twisting” tactics adopted by the recovery agents of ICICI Bank in December 2007. Activists of the KRRS and Hasiru Sene launched an agitation in Mysore seeking compensation for the families of the two farmers. Farmers forced the bank officials to down the shutters.

Finally succumbing to the pressure, ICICI Bank returned the tractor and waived the loan of Siddaraju and recently bank officials returned the tractor of Manjunath to his family and waived the loan. The bank is waiting for the report from inquiry committed appointed by the district administration to find out the reason for the suicide to expedite the fixed deposit of Rs. 10 lakh kept in the joint name of district administration and the Maramma, mother of Manjunath.

Farmer leaders allege that the ICICI Bank had financed over 1,400 tractors in Mysore and Chamarajanagar district and seized the tractors of farmers who have failed to pay the loan instalments. However, bank officials stopped seizing the tractors after the suicide of two farmers last year.

According to Siddaraja Naika of Karya village of Nanjangud taluk, though bank records showed that he has availed himself of Rs. 5.9 lakh as tractor loan, he was given only engine and not the accessories including the trailer. Ramanna of Paduvakote village in H.D. Kote taluk took tractor loan of Rs. 4.67 lakh and after the death of Ramanna, his son K.R. Ravikumar has become debtor and his tractor was seized last year. Similarly tractors of Javarashetty of Bagur village in Kavalande hobli of Nanjangud taluk, L. Nagaraju of Gattivadi village, Siddalingaiah of Karvya village have been seized.

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