Make a spot visit to know the ground reality, Anbumani urges Modi

In his letter, the Member of Parliament said “I want to turn your attention to protect welfare of the farming community in Tamil Nadu and farmers, who are in a perilous situation, as severe drought has ruined the crops. Further, I believe that you are aware of the fact that the state witnessed 106 farmers’ suicide in the last one month alone, following which National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) issued notice seeking government’s explanation over the death of farmers.” 

Stating that unlike in the previous years, the state has been witnessing heavy drought in the recent years, Anbumani noted in the letter that last year was worst, as poor rainfall and denial of Cauvery water by Karnataka government added fuel to the fire to the farmers, who were unable to cultivate both Kuruvai and Samba crops. 

“The state kept pressurizing the Centre to release Cauvery water and even I met you (PM) and Union minister for water resource, Uma Bharti in person and wrote letters demanding water release, but all the efforts proved futile,” Anbumani said in his letter to PM. 

The state saw unprecedented drought in the last 140 years. Unable to bear, the farmers had taken extreme steps, he said. “In the last five years, the farmers did not undertake ‘Kuruvai’ cultivation not even a single time. Shockingly, a total number of 6,117 farmers lost their lives in the last 10 years and I appeal to you to apply corrective measures to prevent farmers’ suicides,” Anbumani said. 

R Mutharasan, the CPI state secretary, has in a statement, condemned the state ministerial team, who claimed that no farmers committed suicide in the state due to drought situation.