Action-Aid Healing Touch to Dying Vidarbha Farmers

Action-Aid Healing Touch to Dying Vidarbha Farmers

Action-Aid Healing Touch to Dying Vidarbha Farmers and
Tribals

Pandharkawada-31-10-2010

Action-Aid Team headed Regional Manager Niraja Bhatnagar and Hinani Ravat recently toured farm suicide prone vidarbha region and visited villages Hiwara,Kawatha and Saikheda and discussed the issue of agrarian crisis in details ,large numbers of distressed farmers and farm widows .since june 2005 more than 8000 cotton farmers have committed suicides in west vidarbha region where as these villages hiwari ,kawatha and saikheda have already claimed 8,12,14 farm suicides respectively after the introduction of Bt.cotton seed in this region as all farmers are cotton growers. despair and distress level is too high to control as more than 4 million farm families are in deep distress and debt trapped . there is urgent need of food security ,health care,social system restoration and urgent availability of farm credit and relief aid to save these innocent victimization of millions of dying cotton farmers.

Action-Aid is working with vidarbha farmers to address agrarian crisis in long term and short term perspective .Earlier in August too Action-Aid Team headed regional manager Niraja Bhatnagar and programme manager Mudhukar Sanap and visited villages Takali,Mandavi, Sunna,Matharjun ,Zari, Maragoan in order o under stand issues of farming community and issues related to tribal land right , malnutrition,unwed mothers and toxic potable water containing flouried and arsenic and health hazards .Ecological disorder and migration kolam tribals due on going coal and lime stone mining projects were discussed at length with and decided to take initiative to address the hardships with proper intervention at all levels.

VJAS activist kishor tiwari ,mohan jadhav bhimrao naitam and suresh bolenwar was with action aid team .VJAS has welcome Action-aid intervention in on going vidarbha Agrarian crisis and thanked for solidarity farmers

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Six more vidarbha farmers’ suicides in alst 48 hours as forcible recovery of bank and Electricity Com. along with price crash in soybean and cotton

Six more vidarbha farmers’ suicides in alst 48 hours as forcible recovery of bank and Electricity Company along with price crash in soybean and cotton

Nagpur, Oct 27, 2010

As bank recovery team of Land Development Bank humiliated Mahadeo Mahalle of village kopari in Yavatmal who liked himself along with five other debt trapped farmers in vidarbha in last 48 hours taking toll to 638 in year 2010,

the recent victims of vidarbha agrarian crisis are

1.Kawadu Kamdi of Dhanora in Yavatmal

2.Prakash Ghogare of Pohana in Wardha

3.Shankar Thawari of Sheogoan in chandrapur

4.Pradip Londhe of Sati in Chandrapur

5.Kisan Surve of Pimpri in Washim

6.Mahadev Mahalle of Kopari in Yavatmal

These suicides are being triggered by state Govt. as they have restarted forcible recovery drive of bankers debt and started forcible recovery of last five years agriculture pump bills after disconnecting the power supply more over there is price crash in soybean and cotton as central Govt. failed to start it’s procurement centers of cotton and soybean and distressed vidarbha farmers who have already lost crop in more than 6 million acres is the main cause of these suicides, Kishor Tiwari of Vidarbha Janandolan Samiti(VJAS )informed in press release today

Yesterday only thousands Farmers from Vidarbha and Marathwada regions gathered in pandharkawada to hold Maharashtra's first 'Kapus Parishad' (Cotton Conclave) where they passed unanimous resolution to march towards the official residence of maharashtra Ashok chavan in Nagpur on the first day of ‘Nagpur assembly session’ and will start indefinite fast undo death agitation scheduled to start second week of next month if there demand of higher prices for cotton and relaxation in export policy are not fulfilled , an activist said here Sunday. The resolution of moved by one of the farm widow Arpana Malikar and supported by thousands of wet drought hit dying cotton farmers of vidarbha the region where more than 8000 cotton farmers committed suicides due on going agrarian crisis, informed Kishor Tiwari, president of Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti (VJAS), organizer of Maharashtra's first 'Kapus Parishad' (Cotton Conclave) demanding the urgent intervention of the government's intervention in increasing the prices of raw cotton from the minimum support price (MSP) of Rs.3,000 per quintal to Rs.4,500 per quintal.

'Cotton is the biggest cash crop grown in Vidarbha region and some parts of Marathwada and Khandesh. The crop's price virtually decides the fate of three million families in Maharashtra, the biggest cotton producing state, this right time to give policy boost up by increasing minimum support price and giving export incentive so that more than 3 million distressed farmers can grt rid of despair and sad saga of farmers suicides will come to end ' said Kishor Tiwari, president of VJAS while opening the Maharashtra's first 'Kapus Parishad' (Cotton Conclave) .

Tiwari said the central and the state governments have indicated that they would not be in a position to pay over Rs.3,000 a quintal as the minimum procurement price, a rate fixed two years ago this is unfair as input costs have gone up in the last two years and so is the inflation., open market prices are already ruling all time high at over Rs.5,000 a quintal,' he said.

'It has to be essentially understood that if the farmers will not to able to pay back the debt, there will be more farmer suicides,' he added.

The Maharashtra's first 'Kapus Parishad' (Cotton Conclave) presided by veteran farm activist Vijay Jawandhia and high lighted the plights of the cotton farmers and said that 'While there are clear indications that prices may firm up in international market mainly because crops in Pakistan and China have been ruined due to floods, the farmers here could take advantage of the situation and export cotton to the countries like China and Bangladesh, where there is high demand for short staple cotton that we produce,

Demanding that the MSP be hiked to Rs.4,500, he said such a step could improve the state's economy too.

The conference was attended by thousands of farm widows of farmers from Vidarbha and Marathwada regions is first signal to Indian Govt. that farmers unrest will get more fuel if their demands are not addressed in near future ,Tiwari said.

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Maharashtra farmer widows and farmers to stage ‘fast undo death’ agitation before maharashtra chief Minster Ashok Chavan residence to get higher price

Maharashtra farmer widows and farmers to stage ‘fast undo death’ agitation before maharashtra chief Minster Ashok Chavan residence to get higher price for cotton

Nagpur, Oct 26,2010

The day on which International cotton prices hit a record high on the back of higher demand and fear of production decline in some major producing countries and The New York Cotton Market increased by 5 cents to hit a record high of $1.25 per pound while in Asian market the deals matured above Rs 5,500 per quintal, but this is not fate of 3 million cotton farmers of major cotton producing state of India maharashtra internationally known for farmers suicide zone as thousands Farmers from Vidarbha and Marathwada regions gathered to hold Maharashtra's first 'Kapus Parishad' (Cotton Conclave) where they passed unanimous resolution to march towards the official residence of maharashtra Ashok chavan in Nagpur on the first day of ‘Nagpur assembly session’ and will start indefinite fast undo death agitation scheduled to start second week of next month if there demand of higher prices for cotton and relaxation in export policy are not fulfilled , an activist said here Sunday. The resolution of moved by one of the farm widow Arpana Malikar and supported by thousands of wet drought hit dying cotton farmers of vidarbha the region where more than 8000 cotton farmers committed suicides due on going agrarian crisis, informed Kishor Tiwari, president of Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti (VJAS), organizer of Maharashtra's first 'Kapus Parishad' (Cotton Conclave) demanding the urgent intervention of the government's intervention in increasing the prices of raw cotton from the minimum support price (MSP) of Rs.3,000 per quintal to Rs.4,500 per quintal.

'Cotton is the biggest cash crop grown in Vidarbha region and some parts of Marathwada and Khandesh. The crop's price virtually decides the fate of three million families in Maharashtra, the biggest cotton producing state, this right time to give policy boost up by increasing minimum support price and giving export incentive so that more than 3 million distressed farmers can grt rid of despair and sad saga of farmers suicides will come to end ' said Kishor Tiwari, president of VJAS while opening the Maharashtra's first 'Kapus Parishad' (Cotton Conclave) .

Advocate Nurup Reddy, leading activist of Separate Telangana movement and convenor of Telengana Vikas Kendra, was the chief guest of Conclave .

Tiwari said the central and the state governments have indicated that they would not be in a position to pay over Rs.3,000 a quintal as the minimum procurement price, a rate fixed two years ago this is unfair as input costs have gone up in the last two years and so is the inflation., open market prices are already ruling all time high at over Rs.5,000 a quintal,' he said.

'It has to be essentially understood that if the farmers will not to able to pay back the debt, there will be more farmer suicides,' he added.

The Maharashtra's first 'Kapus Parishad' (Cotton Conclave) presided by veteran farm activist Vijay Jawandhia and high lighted the plights of the cotton farmers and said that 'While there are clear indications that prices may firm up in international market mainly because crops in Pakistan and China have been ruined due to floods, the farmers here could take advantage of the situation and export cotton to the countries like China and Bangladesh, where there is high demand for short staple cotton that we produce,

Demanding that the MSP be hiked to Rs.4,500, he said such a step could improve the state's economy too.

The conference was attended by thousands of farm widows of farmers from Vidarbha and Marathwada regions is first signal to Indian Govt. that farmers unrest will get more fuel if their demands are not addressed in near future ,Tiwari said.

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vidarbha cotton farmers genocide-true story -Gajanan Nimdeo -chief editor Tarun bharat ,Nagpur (09881717815)

vidarbha cotton farmers genocide-true story -
Gajanan Nimdeo -chief editor Tarun bharat ,Nagpur (09881717815)

Five more vidarbha farmers in 48 hours that include the farm widow

Five more vidarbha farmers in 48 hours that include the farm widow

NAGPUR: Oct 21, 2010.

‘It was very sad day for the villagers of Pimpalkhuti in suicide hit district of Yavatmal to take part in funeral of Bebitai Pongade farm widow whose husband Nilkanthrao Pongade died in debt a year before a last was 627^th victim of on going agrarian crisis in the yaear 2010 claimed another five more farm suicides in last 48 hours as per reports reaching here and the deceased include

1.Pundpundlik Kakad of Village Mangrul in Akola

2.Santosh Belsare of Viallge Adegoan in Amaravati

3.Sanjay Suryawanshi of Village Wadegoan In Bhandara

4.Ramesh Jadhav of Viallge Marsul in Yavatmal including

5.Bebitai Pomgade of Pimpalkhutti in Yavatmal

According to Kishor Tiwari of the Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti (VJAS) which has been documenting farmers' suicide in Vidarbha, attributed the extreme step taken by the farmers to the heavy crop loss and 'failure' of Bt cotton in over six million acres. vidarbha suicide spiral is slow spreading towards paddy growing region of vidarbha from cotton growing west vidarbha as now more suicide s are paying reported from east vidarbha too .Tiwari added.

The cause for the farmers' despondency is the crisis arising out of the delay in cotton procurement and forceful loan recoveries by banks and private micro finance agencies operated illegally as Govt. owned banks failed to provide fresh credit to dying distressed farmers even after intervention of administration, Tiwari alleged.

‘The news of a bumper cotton crop and skyrocketing prices was far different from the ground reality as the Central government was under pressure from textile lobby to bring down the raw cotton prices whereas the high international rates and hence was not opening cotton procurement centers in Vidarbha is adding fuel in the hardshipd of farming community of vidarbha as on an average, a cotton farmer spends about Rs 30,000 per acre and may get a maximum yield of about four quintal that doesn't even puts him in a position to break even and hence the farmers are under perennial economic strain’ Tiwari said

“Cotton farmers are demanding that C.C.I (Coton Croprn. of India) should start procurement at the rate of Rs.5000/- per quintal Open market prices are already ruling over Rs 5000 a quintal. While there are clear indications that prices may firm up in international market mainly because crops in China and Pakistan have been ruined by floods, the Indian farmer could take advantage of the situation and export to the countries like China, Bangladesh, where there is high demand for short staple cotton that we produce” said Kishore Tiwari of the VJAS

7 farmer suicides in Vidarbha in 48 hours-Hindustan Times

7 farmer suicides in Vidarbha in 48 hours-Hindustan Times
http://www.hindustantimes.com/7-farmer-suicides-in-Vidarbha-in-48-hours/Article1-614651.aspx
Fatal figures:
As many as 30 farmers have killed themselves in the region this month while the figure was 52 last month.

622 farmers have committed suicide because of agrarian crisis in the region since January this year.

As many as 916 farmers ended their lives in the region last year.

Six cotton-growing districts - Yavatmal, Wardha, Buldhana, Washim, Akola and Amravati – are the suicide-prone areas in Vidarbha. Of them, Yavatmal is the worst affected district.

Even as the nation celebrated Dussehra, the cotton growing region of Vidarbha in Maharashtra continued to be haunted by farmer suicides with the death of seven more farmers in the last 48 hours. According to reports, among the seven victims, three -- Waman Awari (43), Borgaon, Vijay Dandge (38) of Ratnapur, Dyaneshwar Choudhary (46), Iklara -- were from Yavatmal, one of the worst-hit areas of the region.

The other deceased were identified as: Prabhakar Wakte (40) of Kothari (Akola district), Lachhu Madavi (31) of Chopanguda (Chandrapur), Bhagirath Pathorkar (50), Sadrawadi (Amravati) and Raju Lahorkar (33) of Pimpalkhuti in Washim district.

These farmers ended their lives either by swallowing pesticide or hanging themselves, reports said.

Kishore Tiwari of Vidarbha Janandolan Samiti that has been documenting the farm suicides in the region since 2001 said most of the farmers took the drastic step as untimely rains damaged their crops.

"Farmers, who have been making loss every year because of crop failure or other reasons, are now shattered following the untimely rains that damaged their crops," he pointed out.

Tiwari claimed that on an average two farmers' killed themselves every day in the region despite two relief packages provided by the state and the Union governments to bailout the crisis ridden farmers.

"The crisis could be gauged from the fact that relatively well-off farmers are committing suicide too," he pointed out.

Mohan Jadhav, another farm activist of Yavatmal, felt that farmers were very worried about the damages to the crops.

"Farmers who were already in disarray due to mounting debts, the recent calamity was a blow for them which led them to take such steps," he added.

Kudsingh Rathod, sarpanch of Shivni village in Yavatmal which was very nearer to Ratnapur where Vijay Dandge committed suicide on Saturday, said that the situation this year is worse.

"Crops have damaged because of heavy and later untimely rains. There was no alternative but to commit suicide from the worst future," a distressed Kudsingh said.

The Yavatmal district collector, Sanjay Deshmukh, was clueless over the development.

"I could not understand that why farmers are committing suicide when the yield is comparatively better than the last year. Moreover, around Rs 630-crore were disbursed among the farmers as crop loans this year in the district," he informed.

The district collectorate is investigating the matter.

"I can only tell you about the exact reasons after a couple of days," he further said.

With the deaths of seven more farmers in the region, the toll has risen to 30 this month while the figure was 52 last month. Crippling debts have resulted in 622 farmers committing suicide in the region since January this year.

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सीसीआय व नाफेडने ५ हजाराने कापसाची खरेदी करावी’

‘सीसीआय व नाफेडने ५ हजाराने कापसाची खरेदी करावी’

नागपूर, १५ ऑक्टोबर/ प्रतिनिधी

जागतिक बाजारात कापसाच्या गाठीचा भाव ४२ हजार रुपयांवर गेला असल्याने सीसीआय व नाफेडने क्विंटलला ५ हजार रुपये दराने कापसाची खरेदी सुरू करावी, अशी मागणी विदर्भ जनआंदोलन समितीने केली आहे.
गेल्या वर्षी गाठीला १८ हजार रुपये असलेला भाव सध्या जागतिक बाजारात ४२ हजार रुपये झाला असल्याने पहिल्यांदाच कापूस उत्पादक शेतकऱ्याला चांगला भाव मिळण्याचे संकेत आहेत. मात्र सरकारची खरेदी यंत्रणा असलेल्या कॉटन कॉर्पोरेशन ऑफ इंडिया (सीसीआय) आणि नाफेड यांनी अद्याप त्यांची खरेदी केंद्रे सुरू केली नसल्याने, इतर देशांमध्ये ५ हजार रुपये भाव असतानाही अनेक व्यापाऱ्यांनी क्विंटलला ४ हजार रुपये भाव देण्यासही टाळाटाळ सुरू केली आहे. अनेक ठिकाणी अधिकृत खरेदी सुरू न झाल्यामुळे खेडा खरेदी करणाऱ्या व्यापाऱ्यांनी कापसाचे भाव ३५०० ते ३२०० रुपयांवर आणले आहेत. अशा परिस्थितीत अति पावसामुळे आधीच लागवडीचा खर्च दुप्पट झालेल्या आणि उत्पादन निम्म्यावर आलेल्या शेतकऱ्याला वाचवण्यासाठी सीसीआय व नाफेडने कापसाची खरेदी विदर्भ आणि मराठवाडय़ातील सर्वच संकलन केंद्रांवर क्विंटलला ५ हजार रुपये दराने तत्काळ खरेदी सुरू करावी, अशी मागणी समितीने केली आहे.
कापसाला किमान ५ हजार रुपये भाव मिळाल्याशिवाय शेतकऱ्यांच्या आत्महत्या थांबणार नाहीत. कापूस लागवडीचा खर्च विचारात न घेता ‘कापसाला यंदा चांगले भाव’ असे मथळे बातम्यांना दिले जातात, हे चूक असल्याची प्रतिक्रिया शेकापचे अशोक भुतडा यांनी व्यक्त केली आहे. कापूस लागवडीचा एकरी खर्च साडेचौतीस हजार रुपये येतो. यात शेतकऱ्याचा आयुर्विमा, बैलांचा घसारा, चारा इ. खर्च जोडलेला नाही. बँका शेतकऱ्यांना (ओलिताच्या) ८८०० रुपये एकरप्रमाणे कर्ज देते आणि त्या बदल्यात २ लाख रुपये एकर किमतीची सर्वच जमीन गहाण करून घेते. त्यामुळे शेतकऱ्याला इतरत्र कर्ज घेता येत नाही म्हणून तो सरकारकडे वळतो. तिथे जास्त व्याज द्यावे लागते. नापिकी होऊन कापसाचे भाव घसरले, तर आत्महत्या हा एकच मार्ग शेतकऱ्याकडे उरतो, असेही भुतडा यांनी म्हटले आहे.
सरकारने कापसाचा हमीभाव ३ हजार रुपयांवरून साडेचार हजार रुपये करावा आणि अतिवृष्टीमुळे नापिकी झालेल्या शेतकऱ्याला एकरी सरसकट दहा हजार रुपये मदत जाहीर करावी, या दोन मागण्यांसाठी लवकरच पांढरकवडा येथे कापूस परिषद आयोजित करण्यात आली असल्याचे समितीचे नेते किशोर तिवारी यांनी कळवले आहे.

Protests against Power Plants-Times of India

Vijay Pinjarkar, TNN, Oct 16, 2010, 04.39am IST
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/Protests-against-power/articleshow/6757241.cms

NAGPUR: Vidarbha Bachao Samiti (VBS), a forum of intellectuals, social workers and professionals, on Friday vowed to wage a battle against 85 power plants and 33 coal-based industries proposed in Vidarbha that the Samiti says would jeopardize life of people in the region.

Some of these projects are in initiation stage while some have applied for terms of reference (TOR) and environment clearance with the ministry of environment and forests (MoEF). The state forest department too has forwarded many proposals to National Environment Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) for study about their effect on forests.

VBS has claimed that the 85 coal-based power plants will generate 55,000 MW electricity. In turn, it will give dreaded diseases to people by discharging 4.67 lakh tones of flyash per day. Over 11.68 lakh tones coal will be burnt daily generating 17.52 lakh tonnes of carbandioxide (CO2). Besides, 33 other coal-based units, which include 21 steel, eight cement and four paper plants will also degrade environment.

All these projects will require 50,000 hectares of agricultural land. VBS feared decrease in cultivable land would lead to food shortages. The projects are expected to shrink 9.5 lakh hectare irrigated land capacity to 4 lakh hectares.

"It may be that in future there would be no water for irrigating additional land. People will not get water for drinking. Debt-ridden ryots, already committing suicide due to poor crop yield, will be left with no option but to sell their land to companies," warned Vivekanand Mathne, convenor of Andolan Samiti of Akhil Bharatiya Sarvodaya Mandal (ABSM).

"These projects will destroy rich forests and cut tiger corridors, thus escalating man-animal conflict. In the past three years (2007-09), 68 villagers have been killed in Vidarbha by tigers and leopards as the animals' habitat was destroyed. We need to stop these plants at any cost before it is too late," appealed environmentalist Seema Sahu.

"When 11,000 MW electricity is required to clear shortage of power in Maharashtra, for whom is 55,000 MW being produced," asked Prof Yogeshwar Dudhpachare of Green Planet, Chandrapur. Central India is being turned into a power generation hub for producing electricity for others, he said.

Sudhir Paliwal said Nagpur district would turn into a gas chamber within a few years with large number of coal-based plants coming up. At present, the district had six plants having total capacity of 2,019 MW. It will go upto 11,569 mw with 16 new power plants.

Similarly, Chandrapur, India's fourth most polluted city, is paying heavy price for being in the vicinity of 2,340 MW plant. Even though power surplus Vidarbha is combating multiple ill-effects of power plants, state run Mahagenco had proposed four more coal-based plants in the region.

The state government has already decided to make the region uninhabitable by signing MoUs for 49 coal-fired plants in the region having general capacity of 35,041 MW. These exclude power plants proposed by Mahagenco.

Economist Dr S V Khandewale stated Vidarbha was already suffering from a huge irrigation backlog. More power plants would mean dwindling irrigation potential. The region is largely energy producing, but consumes hardly 25% of power produced. "Power to western Maharashtra while pollution and irrigation backlog to Vidarbha is unacceptable," Khandewale said.

"Chandrapur is on the deathbed and new units will hasten the demise. Already, city is reeling under water crisis and due to excessive mining, cracks have appeared in the homes of residents," said Prof Suresh Chopne.
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Sonia Gandhi Disappointed Vidarbha Cotton Farmers

Sonia Gandhi Disappointed Vidarbha Cotton Farmers

Nagpur, Friday, October 15, 2010

Congress president Sonia Gandhi Friday's vidarbha tour has disappointed 4 million dying farmers while addressing a Congress workers’ ‘Sadbhavna Rally’ at Sewagram in Wardha district, about 85 km from here, as there was no concrete plan or promise to vidarbha farmers who are in deep trouble after heavy rain almost spoiled the complete cotton crop in more than 3 million hector resulting huge economic losses to tune of more than Rs.4000 crore adding more pain already existing Despondency, despair and accumulated actuate deep distress is triggering the farm suicides ,Kishor Tiwari of Vidarbha Janandolan Samiti(VJAS )informed in press release today.

‘Vidarbha agrarian crisis is the result of wrong policies of UPA which completely drifted from Gandhian policies of Gram Swarajya and such 'Gram to Sewagram’ March is nothing but the mockery and insult of father of nation more over ‘cash for rally ‘ is just very ugly face local Maharashtra Govt. which too hostile to protect the poor and farmers ‘Tiwari added.

“Since cotton bales rate is above Rs.42000/- and commodity exchanges are showing bullish trend and massive cotton crop losses in India ,China, Pakistan and USA and west vidarbha. cotton growers has urged Indian Govt. to ask CACP to raise cotton MSP of Rs.4500/- per quintal to compensate farmers accumulated losses but Congress president Sonia Gandhi has not spoken any word cotton procurement and central intervention to safeguard the interest of dying cotton farmers as union Agri. Ministern Sharad Pawar is under pressure from textile lobby who is strongly supporting the textile ministry move to ban cotton export and they have already put lot of restrictions and proposing the export duty too hence it was expected that UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi will give some relief top cotton farmer by nothing has happened even Maharashtra State Co-operative Cotton Growers Marketing Federation Limited (MAHACOT) has officially asked Govt. of India to raise MSP from Rs.3000/- to Rs 4200/- per quintal, but in rally nobody has not spoken single word on the issue that’s agony , Kishore Tiwari said in press release.

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Massive opposition of tribal and farmers to ‘Reliance Cement Project’ in vidarbha

Massive opposition of tribal and farmers to ‘Reliance Cement Project’ in vidarbha

Zari-13^th October 2010

Proposed Reliance Cementation, an Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group (ADAG) reliance cement project in tribal belt of Zari Taluka in Yavatmal district is being strongly opposed by local tribal and farmers as this is clear threat to existing of kolam tribal and thousand of farmers is and around project area .environment impact assessment report (E.I.A.) has not covered the total impact and disaster to forest and rivers PainGanga and Wardha more over EIA is completely salient on rehabilitation programme of project effected people ,informed Vidarbha Janandolan Samiti (VJAS) working in the region for rights of tribal and cotton farmers.

Last year Maharashtra Govt. has given mining lease of 10 thousand hector of land reliance cementation limited by floating all rules and directives of central Govt. regulatory authority protecting environment and forest in near kelapur taluka and now in order to cool down on going protest recently around 500 acre of land has been purchased by reliance cementation limited company via agents by local kolam tribal and cotton farmers are not ready to give their land at any cost hence company is planning get the land through land acquisition act. of Govt. hence ‘public hearing ‘ has been scheduled on 14^th October 2010 at Zari Taluka office which likely to perceive lot of protest from the project affected of people ,Kishor Tiwari of VJAS added in press note.

“Administration should not act as agent of Reliance Cementation, an Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group (ADAG) and all objection of local tribal and farmers along with environmentalist should be considered before giving permission to such polluting cement plant in bank of river and fertile cotton producing land of vidarbha .the complete social impact and environment impact assessment is must hence we are protesting this cement project .if our protest in ignored then we will take this issue before the Mumbai high court Nagpur bench in order to get our hardship redressed.” Tiwari added

Nine Vidarbha farmers suicides in last 72 Hours taking toll to 612 in 2010

Nine Vidarbha farmers suicides in last 72 Hours taking toll to 612 in 2010

Nagpur-11^th October, 2010

When there is massive celebration of ‘Navratri-Garbha’ in metros of India and Indian Defecto Prime Minister Rahulababa Gandhi is busy in CWG 2010 but this is not fate of vidarbha dying farmers as yesterday four more farmers killed themselves thus nine in last 72 hours as vidarbha agrarian crisis are further deepen due to cotton crop has received fresh threats of ‘Lalya fungal attack (Redning of leaves)’ that ruined whole cotton crop in year 2006 forcing maharashtra Govt. give more than Rs.2000 million compensation to west vidarbha cotton farmers now adding fuel already lost cotton crop due excessive rain in August and September resulting five more farmers suicides in last 48 hours taking toll 612 in year 2010

Recent victims of vidarbha agrarian crisis are -

1.Mohadev Lendhe of Kawatha in Wardha

2.Mangilal Raut of Dhumankhed in Wardha

3.Vithal Kothekar of Deulgoan in Wardha

4.murlithat thakare of wadegoan in nagpur

5.Damodhar Kavare of Tarodi in Yavatmal

6.Arvind Bhumare of Ugava in Akola

7.Bhaiyyalal Somankar of Suri in Chandrapur

8.Atmaram Madavi of Dahegoan in Yavatmal

9.Vijay Ghorad of Ramapur in Akola

after heavy rain almost spoiled the complete cotton crop in more than 3 million hector resulting huge economic losses to tune of more than Rs.4000 crore adding more pain already existing Despondency, despair and accumulated actuate deep distress is triggering the farm suicides ,Kishor Tiwari of Vidarbha Janandolan Samiti(VJAS )informed in press release today

This is clear cut sign of severe agrarian crisis in the region because of the fact that for kharif season 2010-11 area under cultivation of Bt.cotton is above 110 lakhs and record rain and massive floods in cotton cultivating areas has damaged most of standing Bt.cotton crop and excessive rain has jumped the cultivation cost to double, but expected yield is likely to reduce to 50% resulting more than Rs.27,000 crore huge financial losses to Indian cotton growers, hence our demand to raise cotton MSP of Rs.4500/- per quintal to compensate farmers accumulated losses ,it need of the hour , Kishor Tiwari of VJAS added.

Hence total cultivation expenses in dry land rain fed area for Bt.cotton is more than Rs.25,000 per hector , even the yield matches the toll claim of US MNC’s Monsanto then even too farmers breakeven cost at home is more than Rs.4,000/- per quintal hence due massive flood in china and Pakistan the Indian cotton demand will be higher hence higher MSP will protect the cotton farmer from blood sucking trader community area hence we demand higher MSP for cotton that’s minimum Rs.4,500/- per quintal ,Tiwari urged the CACP.

Demand to Raise Cotton MSP of Rs.4500/- Per Quintal

Vidarbha Janandolan Samiti (VJAS) advocacy group representing more than 3 million Maharashtra cotton farmers has strongly objected the plea of The Maharashtra State Co-operative Cotton Growers Marketing Federation Limited (MAHACOT) to central Govt. to raise cotton MSP from Rs.3000/- to Rs 3500/- per quintal when market prices at spot and future are trading above Rs.4000/- per quintal, Kishor Tiwari of VJAS informed in press release today.

“Since last four months cotton bales rate is above Rs.35000/- and cotton seed is being sold above Rs.1500/- per quintal and future trading till December in national and international commodity exchanges are showing bullish trend and massive cotton crop losses in India ,China, Pakistan and USA and west vidarbha. cotton growers has urged Indian Govt. to ask CACP to raise cotton MSP of Rs.4500/- per quintal to compensate farmers accumulated losses but day before yesterday Dr.N.P.Hirani, Chairman Maharashtra State Co-operative Cotton Growers Marketing Federation Limited (MAHACOT) has officially asked Govt. of India to raise MSP from Rs.3000/- to Rs 4200/- per quintal, this is clear indication of urgency to raise the cotton MSP , Kishore Tiwari said in press release.

=========================================================

Vidarbha Agrarian Crisis claims Five more Farmers Suicides in last 48 hours taking toll to 608 in 2010

Vidarbha Agrarian Crisis claims Five more Farmers Suicides in last 48 hours taking toll to 608 in 2010

Nagpur-10^th October , 2010

Vidarbha agrarian crisis are further deepen as cotton crop has received fresh threats of ‘Lalya fungal attack (Redning of leaves)’ that ruined whole cotton crop in year 2006 forcing maharashtra Govt. give more than Rs.2000 million compensation to west vidarbha cotton farmers now adding fuel already lost cotton crop due excessive rain in August and September resulting five more farmers suicides in last 48 hours taking toll 608 in year 2010

Recent victims of vidarbha agrarian crisis are -

1.Damodhar Kavare of Tarodi in Yavatmal

2.Arvind Bhumare of Ugava in Akola

3.Bhaiyyalal Somankar of Suri in Chandrapur

4.Atmaram Madavi of Dahegoan in Yavatmal

5.Vijay Ghorad of Ramapur in Akola

after heavy rain almost spoiled the complete cotton crop in more than 3 million hector resulting huge economic losses to tune of more than Rs.4000 crore adding more pain already existing Despondency, despair and accumulated actuate deep distress is triggering the farm suicides ,Kishor Tiwari of Vidarbha Janandolan Samiti(VJAS )informed in press release today

This is clear cut sign of severe agrarian crisis in the region because of the fact that for kharif season 2010-11 area under cultivation of Bt.cotton is above 110 lakhs and record rain and massive floods in cotton cultivating areas has damaged most of standing Bt.cotton crop and excessive rain has jumped the cultivation cost to double, but expected yield is likely to reduce to 50% resulting more than Rs.27,000 crore huge financial losses to Indian cotton growers, hence our demand to raise cotton MSP of Rs.4500/- per quintal to compensate farmers accumulated losses ,it need of the hour , Kishor Tiwari of VJAS added.

Hence total cultivation expenses in dry land rain fed area for Bt.cotton is more than Rs.25,000 per hector , even the yield matches the toll claim of US MNC’s Monsanto then even too farmers breakeven cost at home is more than Rs.4,000/- per quintal hence due massive flood in china and Pakistan the Indian cotton demand will be higher hence higher MSP will protect the cotton farmer from blood sucking trader community area hence we demand higher MSP for cotton that’s minimum Rs.4,500/- per quintal ,Tiwari urged the CACP.

Vidarbha Janandolan Samiti (VJAS) advocacy group representing more than 3 million Maharashtra cotton farmers has strongly objected the plea of The Maharashtra State Co-operative Cotton Growers Marketing Federation Limited (MAHACOT) to central Govt. to raise cotton MSP from Rs.3000/- to Rs 3500/- per quintal when market prices at spot and future are trading above Rs.4000/- per quintal, Kishor Tiwari of VJAS informed in press release today.

“Since last four months cotton bales rate is above Rs.35000/- and cotton seed is being sold above Rs.1500/- per quintal and future trading till December in national and international commodity exchanges are showing bullish trend and massive cotton crop losses in India ,China, Pakistan and USA and west vidarbha. cotton growers has urged Indian Govt. to ask CACP to raise cotton MSP of Rs.4500/- per quintal to compensate farmers accumulated losses but day before yesterday Dr.N.P.Hirani, Chairman Maharashtra State Co-operative Cotton Growers Marketing Federation Limited (MAHACOT) has officially asked Govt. of India to raise MSP from Rs.3000/- to Rs 4200/- per quintal ,this is clear indication of urgency to raise the cotton MSP , Kishore Tiwari said in press release.

=========================================================

Farmers’ crucial meet on 26th Octo. to Discuss Cotton Pricing-Times of India

Farmers’ crucial meet on 26^thocto. to discuss Cotton Pricing:Maharashtra cotton federation demands Rs.4200/- MSP

* “Cloth, garment prices have doubled I last two years, it would be unjust to pay two year old price to raw cotton when farmers have incurred heavy expenses in inputs,”-N P Hirani-chiarman-The Maharashtra state cotton grower’s co-operative federation

** “ When Indian crop is bad, the government readily allows free imports to help the garment, textile selector. So why does it not show the same sensitivity for farmer and provide incentive to exports when demand and price are good in world market” asked Kishor Tiwari.

Nagpur: amid reports that private traders have started buying cotton in open market from farmers at prices ranging between Rs. 4000 and Rs. 5000 a quintal, the farmers as well as activists in the field will be meeting on octobe 26 at Pandharkawda for a kapus parishad (cotton conference) where they will wok out a strategy on pricing.

Cotton is the biggest cash crop grown in Vidarbha region and some parts of Marathwada and Khandesh. The price the crop gets decides the fate of three million families in the state which has the largest area under cotton crop in the country.

The Centre and the state government have indicated that they would not be in a position to pay more than Rs. 3000 a quintal as the minimum procurement price, a rate fixed two years ago. But farmers’ pressure groups like Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti, which is organizing the conference, say the price is unfair as input costs have gone up in the last two years and so is the spiraling inflation.

“Open market prices are already ruling over Rs 4000 a quintal. While there are clear indications that prices may firm up in international market mainly because crops in China and Pakistan have been ruined by floods, the Indian farmer could take advantage of the situation and export to the countries like China, Bangladesh, where there is high demand for short staple cotton that we produce” said Kishore Tiwari of the VJAS.

But, strangely, succumbing to the pressure of the textile lobby the Union government has proposed to impose export duty Rs 2500 a tonne. “This decision is bound to bring down domestic prices by 30%, hitting the domestic farmers” said Tiwari.

Questioning the restrictions put on export by removing it from open general license regime, Tiwari said the government was doing injustice to the cotton growers. “ When Indian crop is bad, the government readily allows free imports to help the garment, textile selector. So why does it not show the same sensitivity for farmer and provide incentive to exports when demand and price are good in world market” asked Tiwari.

Demanding the domestic support price be hiked to Rs 4500, he said such a step could improve the state’s economy too as it depends a lot on cotton.

Maharashtra cotton federation rubbishes textile sector’s fears &demands Rs.4200/- MSP

The Maharashtra state cotton grower’s co-operative federation which once managed the unique monopoly cotton purchase scheme but now plays the role of commission agent for the central agency NAFED is watching for a fresh agreement before starting cotton procurement season in the state.

Instead of procuring on its own, the federation has been working as agent of NAFED which buys cotton from farers through the federation. In the process the federation gets a commission of 2%.

The federation which is headed by a political appointee- N P Hirani- as chairman has recommended to the state marketing and cooperation minister Haeshwardhan Patil to plead with the Centre for a raise in cotton support price to at least Rs 4000 a quintal.

“The textile sector’s fears are rubbish. The garment and textile industry is spreading scare that the sector may collapse if the cotton prices go up. When countries like China can import cotton and export textiles at competitive rates in world market, why cant Indian textile industry do the same,” asked Hirani.

“Cloth, garment prices have doubled I last two years, it would be unjust to pay two year old price to raw cotton when farmers have incurred heavy expenses in inputs,” he said.

He said any agreement with the NAFED is likely only by month-end and soon after that the procurement may begin. He also stressed that international prices were high this year and export restrictions put on Indian farmer be removed immediately.

ओल्या दुष्काळाच्या सावटात भूविकास बँक करणार १४०० कोटींची वसुली-लोकमत

ओल्या दुष्काळाच्या सावटात भूविकास बँक करणार १४०० कोटींची वसुली-लोकमत
विदर्भ जनआंदोलन समितीचे अध्यक्ष किशोर तिवारी यांनी याविरोधात आंदोलनाचा इशारा
(03-10-2010 : 12:33:10)
http://onlinenews1.lokmat.com/php/detailednews.php?id=NagpurEdition-2-1-03-10-2010-2e7ec&ndate=2010-10-03&editionname=nagpur
रूपेश उत्तरवार
यवतमाळ, दि. २ - ओल्या दुष्काळाच्या सावटात राज्यभरातील शेतकऱ्यांना भूविकास बँकेने कर्जवसुलीच्या नोटीस बजाविल्या आहेत. त्यामध्ये यावर्षीच्या खरीप हंगामामध्ये येणाऱ्या पिकातून पैशाची वसुली करण्याचे निर्देश मुंबईच्या शिखर बँकेने दिले आहे. यामुळे राज्यातील शेतकरी धास्तावले आहे.
संपूर्ण राज्यभरात यावर्षी क्षमतेपेक्षा अधिक पाऊस झाला. यामुळे राज्यभरात ओला दुष्काळ सदृश्य परिस्थिती निर्माण झाली. अतिपावसाचा पिकांना सर्वाधिक फटका बसला, असे असले तरी शासनाने ओल्या दुष्काळाच्या बाबतीत कुठलाही निर्णय घेतला नाही. याच संधीचा फायदा घेत भूविकास बँकेने थकबाकीदार शेतकऱ्यना कर्जाची परतफेड करण्यासाठी नोटीस बजाविल्या आहेत. कर्जवसुलीचा संपूर्ण कार्यक्रमच शिखर बँकेने जाहीर केला आहे. त्याच्या अंमलबजावणीचे काम जिल्हा बँकांनी सुरू केले. यामुळे अडचणीत सापडलेले शेतकरी धास्तावले आहे.
सहकार विभागाच्या सूत्रानुसार राज्यात ८९ हजार शेतकऱ्यांकडे चौदाशे कोटी रुपयांची थकबाकी कायम आहे. यामुळे ८९ हजार थकबाकीदार शेतकऱ्यांकडून या कर्जाची वसुली करण्याची तयारी भूविकास बँकेने सुरू केली आहे. राज्यभरातील शेतकऱ्यांना याबाबतच्या नोटीसही बजावण्यास सुरूवात झाली आहे.
मुंबई येथील भूविकास शिखर बँकेने थकबाकीदार शेतकऱ्यांची यादी कापूस पणन महासंघ, साखर कारखाने, बाजार समित्या आणि दूध उत्पादक संघाला देण्याचे निर्देश दिले आहेत. हंगामात येणारा कापूस शेतकऱ्यांनी महासंघाकडे विकल्यानंतर त्यातील काही रक्कम कापण्याचे आदेश देण्यात आले. तर ऊस उत्पादक शेतकऱ्यांकडील थकबाकी वसूल करण्यासाठी साखर कारखान्यांना बँकेने पत्र बजावले आहे. थकबाकीदार शेतऱ्यांचे पैसे कापण्यास नकार देणाऱ्या साखर कारखान्यांची सहकार आयुक्तांकडे तक्रार करण्याचे आदेश बँकेने दिले आहेत. त्याच प्रमाणे दूध उत्पादक सभासदांकडून वसुली केली जाणार आहे.
कर्जदार शेतकऱ्यांनी बाजार समितीत धान्य नेल्यास त्या ठिकाणी थकबाकीदार शेतकऱ्यांकडून कर्ज वसुली करण्याचे निर्देश बँकेने दिले आहे. उद्योग, जोडधंदा, कुकुटपालन, दुग्ध व्यवसाय, मत्स्य पालन, मेषपालन शेतकऱ्यांकडून वसुलीचे निर्देश दिले आहे. याच्या नोटीस अनेक शेतकऱ्यांकडे धडकल्या आहेत. यामुळे शेतकरी धास्तावले आहेत.
विदर्भात सर्वाधिक चिताजनक स्थिती आहे. त्यात वसुलीचे आदेश निघाल्याने शेतकरी संकटात सापडले आहे. यवतमाळ जिल्ह्यातील बाराशे शेतकऱ्यांकडून सात कोटींची थकबाकी वसुली केली जाणार आहे.
संचालक, कर्मचारी आणि नातेवाईकांकडून होणार वसुली
भूविकास जिल्हा बँकेचे थकबाकीदार संचालक, कर्मचारी आणि त्यांच्या नातेवाईकांकडून थकित कर्जाची वसुली करण्याचे निर्देश भूविकासने बजावले आहे.
विदर्भ भूविकास बँक कृती समितीचे अध्यक्ष राहाटे यांनी बँकेच्या धोरणानुसार वसुली करणार असल्याचे मत 'लोकमत'कडे व्यक्त केले. तर विदर्भ जनआंदोलन समितीचे अध्यक्ष किशोर तिवारी यांनी याविरोधात आंदोलनाचा इशारा दिला आहे.

मिहानमध्ये ‘कमी भावाने’ विकलेल्या जमिनींची चौकशी

मिहानमध्ये ‘कमी भावाने’ विकलेल्या जमिनींची चौकशी मुख्यमंत्र्यांच्या घोषणेने संबंधितांचे धाबे दणाणले

नागपूर, १ ऑक्टोबर / खास प्रतिनिधी
महाराष्ट्र विमानतळ विकास कंपनीने सत्यमसह विविध कंपन्यांना बेभाव विकलेल्या जमीन व्यवहाराची चौकशी करण्यात येणार असल्याचे मुख्यमंत्री व कंपनीचे अध्यक्ष अशोक चव्हाण यांनी नागपूर दौऱ्यात जाहीर केल्यामुळे या व्यवहारांशी संबंधितांचे धाबे दणाणले आहे. भूसंपादन करून जमीन विकण्यात गैरव्यवहार झालाचा आरोप असून याबाबत उच्च न्यायालयात याचिकाही दाखल करण्यात आली आहे. सध्या हे प्रकरण न्यायप्रविष्ठ असल्याने यावर अधिक बोलणार नाही. मात्र, सत्यम कॉम्प्युटर्सला तेल्हारा तलाव फुकट दिल्याची आणि इतर संबंधित गैरव्यवहारांची निश्चितच माहिती घेऊन चौकशी करण्यात येईल, असे मुख्यमंत्र्यांनी स्पष्ट केले. शेतकरी पुरस्कार वितरणानंतर नागपुरात पत्रकारांशी बोलताना त्यांनी मिहान प्रकल्पातील कामांना गती देण्याची ग्वाही दिली. मिहान प्रकल्पासाठी महाराष्ट्र विमानतळ विकास कंपनीची स्थापना करण्यात आली. या कंपनीचे उपाध्यक्ष व व्यवस्थापकीय संचालक आर.सी. सिन्हा सत्यमची सहयोगी कंपनी मेटासच्या संचालक मंडळावर होते. सत्यममधील कोटय़वधी रुपयांच्या गैरव्यवहारानंतर त्या समूहातील सर्व कंपन्या व त्यांचे संचालक अडचणीत आले. त्यात सिन्हाही होते. नंतर त्यांनी मेटासच्या संचालकपदाचा राजीनामा दिला. तेव्हापासून सत्यमला दिलेली जमीन आणि तलावाचे प्रकरण गाजत आहे.
‘मिहान’ प्रकल्पासाठी जमिनी देताना काही कंपन्यांबाबत पक्षपात करून त्यांना कमी दरात जमिनी विकण्यात आल्याचा आरोप करणाऱ्या एका याचिकेवर मुंबई उच्च न्यायालयाच्या नागपूर खंडपीठाने केंद्रीय नगरविकास खात्याचे सचिव, राज्याच्या नगरविकास विभागाचे सचिव, मिहानचे उपाध्यक्ष, नागपूरचे विभागीय आयुक्त व जिल्हाधिकारी या प्रतिवादींच्या नावे गेल्या आठवडय़ात नोटीस बजावली.
मिहानमधील जमीन खरेदी करणाऱ्या निरनिराळ्या कंपन्यांना वेगवेगळ्या दराने जमीन देण्यात आली. मे २००८ मध्ये सत्यम कंपनीला १२८ एकर जमीन एकरी १९ लाख एकर या दराने विकण्यात आली. मात्र इतर कंपन्यांना एकरी ३० लाख, ३५ लाख, ४० लाख, ४४ लाख, ५२ लाख, ६० लाख, ६५ लाख, ८० लाख अशा विविध दराने जमिनी विकण्यात आल्या. याउलट ‘गती लिमिटेड’ला १ कोटी १ लाख रुपये, तर टीसीआय इन्फ्रास्ट्रक्चरला १ कोटी २० लाख ५ हजार रुपये एकर दराने जमीन विकण्यात आली. यातून विशिष्ट कंपन्यांबाबत पक्षपात, तसेच मोठय़ा रकमेचा गैरव्यवहार स्पष्टपणे दिसून येतो. १०० एकर क्षेत्राचे तेल्हारा धरण सत्यम कंपनीला फुकटात देण्यात आले, तर अलीकडेच रिटॉक्स कंपनीला १० एकर जमीन मोफत दिली गेली, याचाही उल्लेख सिटिझन्स फोरमच्या याचिकेत करण्यात आला आहे.