Bhubaneswar: A day after a farmer in Bargarh district sought the government’s permission for euthanasia after reportedly failing to sell his paddy at a state-run mandi, Cooperation Minister Pradeep Bal Samanta Tuesday assured that no injustice would be done to the farmer.
According to sources, Rohit Bhoi of Sahara Tikra village under Bheden block Monday submitted a petition to Bargarh Collector Aditya Goyan seeking euthanasia during a public grievance hearing. “I want euthanasia because I have been unable to sell my paddy despite waiting six months for procurement. I am under distress and unable to afford medicines for my elderly parents or fund my children’s education. Therefore, it is better to die,” Bhoi wrote in the petition.
The farmer said that although procurement for the new Kharif season has already begun, his paddy from the previous season remains unsold. He claimed to have harvested around 220 bags of paddy, but the state-run mandi is yet to procure them. Bhoi said cultivation is the sole source of income for his family.
“I have written several letters to the district authorities, but nobody has paid heed to my plight,” he told the Collector. “As I have no other option, I am seeking permission for euthanasia,” he added.
Addressing the media Tuesday, the Cooperation Minister said, “The matter has just come to my notice. I will immediately ask the department and the district Collector to look into the issue and ensure that no injustice is done to the farmer.”
“If there is a problem, there is a solution. We should discuss the matter instead of seeking euthanasia or taking any extreme step. If the farmer takes any adverse step, it will harm him, his family, the government and the state as a whole. Therefore, I will ask the authorities to address the issue immediately,” the minister told reporters.
Opposition Biju Janata Dal (BJD) criticised the state government over the issue. “This is really distressing. What kind of government is the BJP running in Odisha? A farmer is seeking euthanasia, a tribal man carries his sister’s skeleton to a bank to claim her money, and murders have become a daily affair,” said former minister and BJD MLA Arun Kumar Sahoo.
PNN & Agencies