Sambalpur/Bhubaneswar: Allegations of farmer suicide in Odisha have once again rocked the state, after a 58-year-old farmer Ratnakar Bhoi from Bairagipali village under Sadar police station limits allegedly ended his life by consuming pesticide on Saturday. This is the 10th such case in 11 days, bringing to the fore the impact of unseasonal rains leading to crop loss on farmers.
He had expected 150 sacks of paddy while he could harvest only 50 that shocked him, alleged his son Paresh.
According to Bhoi’s family, he had taken loans over the past three years, including for his daughter’s wedding, and was struggling to repay them. The situation worsened this year when unseasonal rains severely impacted his paddy harvest on his two-acre farmland. Facing the burden of crop failure and debt, Bhoi allegedly consumed pesticide at around 1:30 PM on Saturday.
Bhoi fell ill soon after, and his family noticed a strong smell of pesticide when they found him. “He admitted to us that he had consumed pesticide. We rushed him to the Sambalpur District Headquarters Hospital, but he passed away during treatment at around 5 PM,” said his son Paresh Kumar.
The family has filed a complaint at the Sadar police station, citing crop failure and debt pressure as the primary reasons for Bhoi’s distress.
District Collector Siddheswar Baliram Bondar said, the administration is aware of the incident and investigation has been initiated by a team. "As far as compensation is concerned, we can do that after inquiry gets over and the report comes to us," he said.
Government’s View
Responding to the incident, Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari stated that the district collector would conduct a thorough investigation into the cause of death, the extent of crop damage, and Bhoi’s financial condition.
“The state government has always stood by farmers during disasters. Input subsidies are provided for crop losses exceeding 33%, and the SDRF fund ensures support for uninsured farmers. Assistance will be given in this case based on the collector’s report,” said Pujari.
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi recently declared the unseasonal rains a natural calamity, allocating Rs 292 crore for input subsidies to over 6.5 lakh affected farmers. “The government is committed to supporting farmers in distress. Compensation will reach them through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT), and insured farmers under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana will receive additional relief within 15 days,” he said.
Political Reactions
The tragedy has triggered political uproar, with the ruling BJD and opposition BJP trading barbs over farmer welfare. BJD district president and former MLA Rohit Pujari criticized the BJP, accusing them of neglecting farmer issues. “While our farmers suffer, BJP leaders are busy attending festivals and meetings. This neglect is unacceptable,” he remarked.
Meanwhile, BJD leaders blamed the state government for inadequate relief measures. “The government has failed to protect farmers from natural calamities and provide timely compensation. Their claims of supporting farmers ring hollow in the face of such tragedies,” said a senior BJP leader.
Broader Agrarian Crisis
Odisha’s farmers are grappling with severe crop losses due to unseasonal rains that have impacted 16 districts, including Sambalpur, Ganjam, and Puri. Over 2.26 lakh hectares of farmland have been damaged, with an estimated loss of Rs 292 crore. The districts affected include Bhadrak, Cuttack, Dhenkanal, Gajapati, Jajpur, Kalahandi, Khordha, Kendrapara, Puri, Rayagada, Jagatsinghpur, Kandhamal, Nayagarh, Nuapada and Rayagada.
Farmers in Ganjam suffered the heaviest losses, with over 60,000 hectares of agricultural land affected. In Puri, nearly 50,000 hectares were damaged. The government has promised timely disbursement of funds, but on-ground challenges persist.
Farmers insured under the PMFBY are expected to receive relief soon, but the process of identifying and compensating uninsured farmers is slower, creating gaps in aid distribution.
In Kendrapada, Daitari Jena from Koshida, Derabish Block, died on December 22, 2024, while Bhabagrahi Malik from Santhpura, Nahang, also from Derabish, died on December 25, 2024 and Kailash Chandra Dhal of Kolidiha, Baritka, Ali Block passed on January 4, 2025. All these farmers allegedly ended their lives after their crops were damaged due to unseasonal rains. "The reason of the deaths of all the farmers are being investigated," said District Collector Smruti Ranjan Pradhan.
Similarly in Ganjam district, a 64-year-old farmer Banamali Penthoi from Barang village under Chhatrapur block of Ganjam district allegedly ended his life by hanging on December 26, 2024, after his paddy cultivation on about five acres of farmland in Banamali village got damaged due to rains. Chhatrapur Tehsildar Bidya Mohanty said that an investigation into the incident is being conducted and assistance would be provided from the Red Cross fund along with consideration as per the rules.
On January 3, 2025, two farmers in Ranpur block of Nayagarh district died allegedly due to the massive crop loss incurred by them due to untimely rains. Debraj Barik (65) of Balabhadrapur panchayat of Ranpur block, died of a heart attack, while Bhagaban Pradhan, 62, of Basudiya village, died in a hospital in Bhubaneswar reportedly due to brain stroke. Unable to bear the crop damage, and huge loan amounts, both the farmers were distressed, alleged their family members.
In Cuttack district, one Kailash Pradhan (75) of Mahangapada village, Niali block of Cuttack district collapsed in his farmlands on December 31, 2024. He had reportedly cultivated paddy on two acres of paddy land but rains played havoc. On thre fateful day when he went to the farm and saw the paddy damaged, he fell down and died. It is being alleged that Pradhan died due to the shock, though doctors attributed it to heart attack.
On the same day in Jagatsinghpur, Krutibas of Sarena village in Tandikul panchayat under Balikuda tehsil of Jagatsinghpur district also died allegedly by hanging after paddy in his three acres of farmland got washed away. He was taken to Jagatsinghpur Main Hospital, but declared dead by doctors .
In Jajpur too, a farmer of Jajpur Binjharpur under Chikana Panchayat Manibhadra Mohanty allegedly died by suicide on December 28, after his crops on three acres of land got destroyed in rains.
Read More
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