Two farmers in Odisha lose their lives due to the pain of crop loss.

In the state of Odisha, two farmers have tragically passed away in separate incidents. It is believed that their deaths were a result of the recent unseasonal rainfall, causing a loss in their Kharif crop harvest. One farmer took his own life in Ganjam district, while the other suffered a heart attack in Kendrapara district, according to their family members.

The first incident occurred in Barang village, where a 64-year-old farmer named Banamali Penthei allegedly died by suicide after the untimely rainfall destroyed his near-to-harvest paddy crops. His family members shared that he had returned from his field and was devastated to see his hard work submerged. District collector Dibya Jyoti Parida has promised to conduct an inquiry into the matter, with both an executive magistrate and the police investigating separately. The district administration has also offered financial assistance of Rs 30,000 from the Red Cross fund to the farmer's family.

Simanchal Nahak, the secretary of Rushikulya Rait Mahasangh, a farmers' organization in the district, revealed that the deceased was a sharecropper with a debt burden of over Rs 2 lakh. He strongly believes that the farmer's suicide was a result of the overwhelming shock and hopelessness brought upon by the loss of his crops. The inspector-in-charge of Chhatrapur police station, Nirod Kumar Dash, stated that an unnatural death case has been registered based on an FIR filed by the farmer's daughter-in-law. The body has been sent for a post-mortem examination to determine the exact cause of death.

In the second incident, Gourahari Mallick from Santhapura village in Kendrapara district suffered a cardiac arrest upon discovering that his crops had been damaged by the unseasonal downpour. He was immediately taken to the hospital but was declared dead upon arrival. According to Gayadhar Dhal, the president of the district Krusaka Sabha, Mallick had borrowed Rs 60,000 for agricultural work and had hoped to repay the loan with his Kharif yield.

The tehsildar of Derabish has been instructed to investigate the alleged crop loss and submit a report as soon as possible. Based on the findings, further actions will be taken by the additional district magistrate, Nilu Mohapatra. Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari acknowledged that the unseasonal rainfall has caused significant damage to paddy crops in various parts of the state. In response to requests from district collectors, the date for procurement of paddy has been pushed back. However, the assessment of crop damage has been delayed due to the ongoing rainfall.

The minister shared that a meeting will be held soon with officials from the revenue, agriculture, and cooperation departments to determine a course of action. He also mentioned that insurance companies have been directed to assist farmers with their claims promptly. The government has promised to address the challenges faced by farmers with compassion and take necessary steps within the existing norms to support them.

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