Bargarh: A fifty-year-old farmer attempted suicide by consuming poison before the district collectorate here Thursday morning. He was Akrur Bisi of Kanabar village under Barpali police limits. The incident took place a day after two farmers committed suicide in grief over major crop loss in Bargarh district Wednesday.
The farmer was rescued and rushed to the district hospital. His condition remained critical.
The powerful Nor’wester prevailing since a week, causing heavy rain and gusty winds, has caused havoc across the district. Acres of standing crops were lost to heavy hailstorm. Harvested crops and vegetables kept for sale in the open also got destroyed in the rain. The farmers of Kanbar panchayat under Barpali police limits have suffered the worst, as there was huge loss to them due to the natural disaster.
Irate over governmental negligence to protect farmers from natural disasters and its failure to come up with effective compensation mechanisms by way of insurance schemes, hundreds of farmers picked the collectorate. They warned the government they too would commit suicide if no proper steps followed.
In the course of the protests, Bisi took out a poison bottle and consumed the poison. He was immediately rushed to the Bargarh DHH.
The farmers’ agitation intensified after the suicide bid. District collector (DM) Indramani Tripathy tried to pacify the farmers, but in vain. MLA Debesh Acharya also reached the spot and assured the farmers of compensation for the crop loss.