Jajpur office/Birajakhetra: Jajpur collector Ranjan Kumar Das Friday began a probe into the suicide attempt of a farmer Kalinga Ghadei (27) over loan burden and crop loss Thursday.
Preliminary investigation revealed that untimely rain washed away Kalinga’s tomato and other vegetable crops forcing him to take the extreme step. The crop loss coupled with a loan burden of Rs 1 lakh which he had borrowed for his sister’s marriage pushed him into distress. The collector held a discussion with Kalinga’s father Prafulla and other family members over the incident.
Prafulla’s family comprised his two sons and two daughters. Kalinga was unmarried and looked after the family’s farming activities. He had cultivated tomato, beans, nuts, pulses and other vegetables this season.
He had borrowed from banks and private money lenders for raising the crops. kalinga had also borrowed Rs 1 lakh for his sister’s marriage while another `30,000 was provided to him from the cooperative society, family members said.
Locals told the collector that Kalinga was under stress after his crops were washed away due to the unseasonal rain. They also complained that many farmers in the panchayat were facing the same situation. The collector ordered the assistant registrar of cooperative societies to prepare a report in this regard.
He also assured a financial aid of Rs 10,000 from the District Red Cross Fund for Kalinga’s treatment and sent an official to SCB Medical College and Hospital to enquire on Kalinga’s health condition. The collector assured the villagers of setting up food processing units and installing cold storage facilities in the area. PNN
