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Farmers refuse to pay for failed irrigation project

BHOPAL: A number of agitated farmers from the tribal district of Jhabua in western Madhya Pradesh voiced their anger here on Saturday over attempts by some banks to recover loans pending against thousands of beneficiaries of a lift-irrigation scheme that has failed to take off on the ground.

The angry farmers, here to give a memorandum to the State Governor and Chief Minister, under the banner of “Asafal Samuhik Udvahan Pariyojna Peedit Hitgrahi Sangh” told mediapersons at a press conference that they are being asked to pay for a community lift-irrigation project, which was launched in their area in the early 90s but was never completed.

Speaking on behalf of over 7,000 farmers from 103 villages, Lakshman Singh Mudiya said that the bank officials have started torturing the farmers by threatening to confiscate and auction their land. One of the farmers, Babu Singh of Pipli Pada village said that his liability on the initial loan amount of Rs.28,000 has now gone up to Rs.70,000.

There were others who were being asked to pay Rs.1 lakh to Rs.1.5 lakh, he said adding that nothing has come off the Chief Minister’s earlier announcement that steps would be taken to provide relief to the beneficiaries of the failed lift-irrigation project.

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