Appeal Against Suicide Of Farmers In Koshal Region Of Odisha

Submitted to President of India Copy to Prime Minister of India Chief Minister of Odisha Chief Justice of India Smt Sonia Gandhi (UPA Chairperson) Shri L.K. Advani (Opposition Leader, Lok Sabha) Shri Arun Jaitley (Opposition Leader, Rajya Sabha) Shri Rahul Gandhi (General Secy. Congress) Shri Rajnath Singh (President, BJP) MPs and MLAs of Orissa Press

Submitted & Approved by Members of Koshal Discussion and Development Forum (KDDF), Members of Juhar New Delhi, Bangalore, Pune, Mumbai, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Berhampur and Bhubaneswar, Members of VSS Parivar & well wishers Drafted by Er. Sameer Panda, New Delhi [email protected]

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To Dear Hon’ble President of India, Smt. Patil, Copy to: Honorable Prime Minister of India, Dr. Singh; Honorable Chief Minister of Odisha, Mr. N. Patnaik; Honorable Chief Justice of India; Smt Sonia Gandhi; Shri L.K. Advani; MPs and MLAs of Odisha; Press Dear Hon’ble President of India, Smt. Patil, We the general public and intelligentsia of backward, tribal and Maoist infested area of India i.e. Western part of Odisha, which is historically known as Koshal are disheartened and hurt due to recent farmers’ death in the region in daily basis. Odisha state Government is unable and unwilling to take appropriate step to address the problem, especially when the interest of Koshal region comes due to step-motherly attitude towards the region. The unwillingness of political leadership and govt. officials is because of grafting huge fundings from these mining and metallurgical industries. To unveil few facts and circumstances for your kind attention and adequate action, we beg to state that, Koshal region had been a prosperous land with abundant natural resources and self sufficient economy. Flood was not known to Koshal region as it is situated on Eastern Ghat, which is hilly area and have natural drainage system. However, there were many occasions of draughts due to lack of proper irrigation. In spite of that it had been a heaven for tribal people for centuries. Hirakud dam and other dams were built by the Govt. primarily to decrease the damage by flood in Coastal Odisha and secondarily to facilitate irrigation in Koshal region (Western Odisha including KBK). As most of the dams were built in Western Odisha, many villages were displaced and many people lost their natural habitat. Moreover the displaced people were kept away from due compensation for their irreparable damage. The act of displacing people without adequate compensation and forcing them to live in pity for generations is blatant violation of Right to Life conferred by Constitution of India and Human Rights. The displaced people settled in places near Hirakud Dam such as in Jharsuguda, Sambalpur and Bargarh districts. After losing their land and not being compensated said displaced people bought land and lived on small income generated from their small land holdings. Irrigation and rain saved these people from facing severe draught like situation for years.

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Forest coverage of the catchment area of Hirakud Dam which lies mostly in Chhattisgarh, has declined drastically which is evident from browsing catchment area of the Hirakud on Google Earth. Most of the perenial water sources and streams come from the Bauxite holding Mountains due to the water affinity of the mineral. As bauxite and iron ores are being extracted, the water holding capacity of these have declined causing siltation, flash floods etc during rain and draught during summer. Adding to it unsustainable industrialization and use of water resources by Industry the irrigation in this region has suffered. High level of Pollution due to many small and large industries along with an ineffective, corrupt Pollution Control Board; and indiscriminate deforestation has decreased precipitation and has increased diseases leading either to decrease in yield or loss of crop. The State Government had given false assurance to the Koshal region farmers that irrigation in the Hirakud command area will not be adversely affected by industrialization, nevertheless the government has taken all steps to facilitate use of water by Industry which is actually meant for farmers. Though the Industries have huge financial resources to make their own water bodies or to increase the water holding capacity of Hirakud the govt. has not taken a step for it, rather left the poor farmers to suffer for their innocence in believing the State Government. According to survey conducted by Pune-based National Centre for Advocacy Studies and Government’s reply in the Assembly, in just two years from 1998-’99 to 2000-’01 rabi irrigation potential has shrunk by 18.48 per cent in the command area. Prior to the pre-April 1997 period, water withdrawal permission to industries from Hirakud was just 71,252 lakh gallons per year (LGY), which was only 13.2 per cent of the total industrial water use permission granted in Odisha. Now the Government of Odisha have permitted to use 5,04,431.2 LGY water from Hirakud which was 26.3 per cent of the total withdrawal permission. After the formation of Water Allocation Committee industrial water allocation from the reservoir has gone up to 31.45 percent total water burden of industries. Development Support Centre, Ahmedabad has found that in the tail-end of the designated command area 82 per cent are not getting water even today. So, Hirakud dam is no more solving the purpose of irrigation rather solving the purposes of Industries. Step-motherly attitude of Government of Odisha and no step for irrigation, sustainable development, exploitation, no crop insurance, no easy finance etc. have brought this level of disparity and frustration that the farmers have no other way but to commit suicide. More interestingly few leaders of ruling BJD party have tried to paint it in different colours without even properly investigating into the matter, and are trying to escape from their responsibility. Keeping in view of above facts and circumstances we beg your kind intervention in this matter for finding out a plausible solution and take immediate action.

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We propose following solutions for your kind consideration: 1. Water tax can be levied on industries, which desiltation of Hirakud and capacity building.

can be spent for the purpose of

2. Govt. builds a small dam for disiltation purpose before Hirakud. Two Geologists from IIT Roorkee and Sambalpur University have strongly recommended for it. The proposed dam will have very small capacity enough to keep water for 24-48 hours, so that the sediments will deposit and the velocity of water is decreased. It will increase the life of Hirakud Dam and solve the problem of siltation and sedimentation. 3. Each industry has to make a water bodies by water harvesting (internally and externally) or by small dams or by barrages of the double the capacity as that of its per annum use in Koshal area. (e.g. Small barrages can be built near Saintala, Jarsingha, Kesinga, Borda etc. ) 4. Completion of Upper Indravati Project in Kalahandi, Lower Indra Irrigation Project in Nuapada, Lower Suktel proejct in Balangir on urgent basis. A revolving citizens forum should be formed to see progress of such type of irrigation project. The citizen forum should be an independent body to investigate, communicate and reccomend to State govt. and Central Govt. 5. One central independent commission (comprising at least one Supreme Court Judge and three technical experts) and they investigate and give the eco-sustainability report of existing or proposed industries. The central commission also investigate whether the industries have adhered to MOUs in words and spirit and whether State Govt. has taken appropriate steps to mitigate the problems of farmers. 6. All the farmers of Koshal be provided with Crop Insurance, Life Insurance and Health Insurance. The payment of premium can be shared between Central Govt., State Govt, Industries and farmers. 7. A Tribal & Agriculture centrally funded university be set up in Bhawanipatna or Bolangir, and any such institute can have a substantial contribution from industries like Vedanta and Bhusan. Yours sincerely, Members of Koshal Discussion and Development Forum (KDDF), Members of Juhar New Delhi, Bangalore, Pune, Mumbai, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Berhampur and Bhubaneswar, Members of VSS Parivar & well wishers

[Note: KDDF is forum of global people interested in development of Koshal region of Odisha in other words Western Odisha. KDDF is a non-political and non-separatist organization interested in bringing development to Western Odisha and simultaneously popularize significance of Koshal among general mass in similar spirit like for Utkala or Kalinga is done and it does not associate with separate state movement rather encourage people to be proud for their Koshal historical route.]

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Reference: 1.

http://kddf.wordpress.com/category/agriculture-and-irrigation/farmer-suicide/

2.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bhubaneswar/Another-Sambalpur-farmerkills-self/articleshow/5186878.cms

3.

http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?Title=No+Orissa+dist+in+drough t+list&artid=qRh7jYN5hY0=&SectionID=mvKkT3vj5ZA=&MainSectionID=fyV 9T2jIa4A=&SectionName=nUFeEOBkuKw=&SEO=

4.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bhubaneswar/Another-Sambalpur-farmerkills-self/articleshow/5186870.cms

5.

http://orissadiary.com/CurrentNews.asp?id=15233

6.

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics/nation/Orissa-Two-morefarmers-commit-suicide-toll-goes-up-to-9/articleshow/5200943.cms

7.

http://trak.in/news/farmers-march-bulls-and-cows-for-protest-to-draw-authoritiesattention-in-orissa/16799/

8.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2009/nov/05/vedanta-resources-mining-indiazambia

9.

http://www.deccanherald.com/content/31419/bjp-demands-patnaiks-resignationfarmers.html

10.

http://www.merinews.com/article/farmer-suicides-continue-inorissa/15786715.shtml

11.

http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?Title=Another+farmer%E2%80% 99s+death+fuels+anger&artid=Oyks8MCn2C4=&SectionID=mvKkT3vj5ZA=& MainSectionID=fyV9T2jIa4A=&SectionName=nUFeEOBkuKw=&SEO=

12.

http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?Title=Farmer+hangs+self,+anoth er+tries+to+end+life&artid=emC4L22UfA0=&SectionID=mvKkT3vj5ZA=&Mai nSectionID=fyV9T2jIa4A=&SectionName=nUFeEOBkuKw=&SEO=

13.

http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?Title=Team+spends+%E2%80%9 8less+than+30+minutes+to+find+fact%E2%80%99&artid=T8zRw7/j|o8=&Sectio

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nID=mvKkT3vj5ZA=&MainSectionID=fyV9T2jIa4A=&SectionName=nUFeEO BkuKw=&SEO= 14.

http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?Title=Farmer+suicided+over+cro p+loss,+admits+BJD&artid=KSXUFUladzs=&SectionID=mvKkT3vj5ZA=&Mai nSectionID=fyV9T2jIa4A=&SectionName=nUFeEOBkuKw=&SEO=

15.

Area under Western Odisha or Koshal region in Odisha map.

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