Two more farmer suicides raise toll to 52

Nashik: Reports of two more farmers from different parts of the district committing suicide have trickled in, taking the toll to 52 this year so far.
Of the 52 suicides reported so far, the state government has rejected the cases of 20 farmers as they could not meet the criteria laid down for the beneficiaries to obtain aid.
According to the revenue officials, the two farmers from Niphad and Trimbakeshwar talukas reportedly ended their lives in the past week.
Shantaram Nathu Vaze (60), resident of Shreerampur in Niphad taluka reportedly ended his life on June 25 by consuming poison. The revenue officials have called for further details in the case.
"We got the report from the talathi of the village about a person committing suicide. We have sought further information in the case from the officials concerned, including the land records, the cooperatives as well as the police. We will raise the proposal with the district committee, which ultimately decides upon the proposals of farmer suicides," a senior official from the office said.
Another farmer, Dashrath Trimbak Bhoye (42) hailing from Dalpatpur village, Trimbakeshwar, reportedly committed suicide on June 22.
"The farmer is survived by his mother, wife, a son and a daughter. This is the first suicide reported in the tribal taluka of Trimbakeshwar. Bhoye, with an annual income of Rs 35,000, is most likely to have taken the extreme step in view of continuous failure of crops for the last several years and thus monetary issues facing the family," the officer said.
The district administration, meanwhile, has accepted 29 of the 52 proposals it received this year. It has rejected 20 cases for not being able to meet the criteria, while three are stilling pending.
Aid of Rs 1 lakh will be given to the family members of farmers whose suicide cases were accepted by the district committee based on the criteria announced by the state government. The toll of suicide cases has risen to 52 this year as compared to 23 cases last year during the corresponding period.
"There is no single criterion or factor that can be linked to farmers' suicide and can indicate that the farmer is going to commit suicide. However, the government needs to address the needs of the farmers as those committing suicide are the ones who are small or marginal farmers. Such farmers would often refrain from working as labourers in others' farms," said Rajesh Lahamge, who is associated with an NGO working for farmers' upliftment.
Farmers can only earn money by selling crops; but a glut in production or a drought seriously affects their livelihood, thereby lowering their moral, he added.