49 farmer deaths due to crop loss

Nearly 50 farmers allegedly committed suicide or died of cardiac arrest in Krishna district on December after suffering crop losses in the recent cyclone and heavy rain, an Andhra Pradesh Minister said on Sunday.

Talking to reporters here, School Education Minister K Pardhasaradhi said 49 farmers in the district had committed suicides or died due to cardiac stroke since the beginning of this month due to losses caused by the cyclone `Jal' and rain.

The Revenue Department is conducting an inquiry to find out how many of them ended their lives and how many died of other reasons, he said.

Most of the deceased were tenant farmers. They had invested huge amounts of money for both tenancy and raising the crops in their fields, said the Minister, who hails from the district.

After the inquiry, families of the farmers who committed suicide will be paid a compensation of Rs 1.5 lakh each, he added.