State BJP ST Morcha asks DGP to take action against firms selling spurious seeds
Demands State govt to compensate tribal farmers for crop losses
Hyderabad: The State BJP ST Morcha lodged a complaint with DGP Jitender Reddy demanding justice for tribal farmers who have suffered losses due to spurious seeds.
A team of BJP ST Morcha leaders led by ST Morcha state president Dr Kalyan Nayak met the DGP on Monday and told him about the prevailing situation in the Venkatapuram agency areas of Mulugu district.
He said “For the past few months, companies such as SIMJANTA, HITECH, BAYER, and SIBI have been supplying fake seeds. Tribal farmers who relied on quality seeds have faced devastating losses. Tragically, some farmers, burdened by debt, have committed suicide.
The morcha leader said that this is not an agricultural failure, but, “a conspiracy by the corrupt state government machinery hand in glove with the seeds companies against innocent tribal communities.”
They demanded registering criminal cases against the responsible companies under the PD Act, and farmers should be compensated. Measures must be taken to prevent such scams in the future.
Further, they demanded the State government immediately compensate the farmers who lost 3,000 acres of crops, support 800 tribal farmers, and provide ex-gratia payments to the families of the five deceased farmers. Besides, criminal cases should be registered against the companies that supplied fake seeds under the Money Laundering Act, and against the company owners under the PEDIAC Act.
Similarly, they demanded an investigation into the responsible government officials, and appropriate action should be taken.
Control measures and awareness programs should be implemented to prevent such incidents in the future.
Dr Kalyan Nayak criticised the state government, stating, “Minister Seethakka’s focus on sand quarries and interest in beauty competition and silence over the suicides of tribal farmers.
Even the Agriculture Minister has not responded to this crisis. While the Chief Minister conducts reviews, he has completely ignored the problems of the tribal farmers, he alleged. BJP ST Morcha State general secretary Ravi Nayak Nenawat, state secretary Kunja Santosh, Mahesh Rupawat, Banoth Anusha, and Ramesh Nayak were part of the delegation.
