Monday, August 07, 2006

IN SPITE OF HIGH COURT ORDER MAHARSHTRA GOVT. FAILED TO HOST RELIEF MEASURES ON WEB SITE:

VIDARBHA JAN ANDOLAN SAMITI

REGD. OFFICE: 11, TRISARAN SOCIETY, KHAMLA, NAGPUR - 440 025.
PH. 2282447/457 MOBILE-9422108846.

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REF: - FARMERS SUICIDES-HIGH COURT PRESS-NOTE DATED-7TH AUGUST, 2006

IN SPITE OF HIGH COURT ORDER MAHARSHTRA GOVT. FAILED TO HOST RELIEF MEASURES ON WEB SITE: THE PETITIONER HOST LIST OF 716 FARMERS ON HIS WEB SITE: HIGH COURT TO TAKE UP THE CASE TODAY

NAGPUR-7TH AUGUST, 2006

EARLIER ON JULY 11, 2006 THE NAGPUR BENCH OF THE BOMBAY HIGH COURT TODAY ASKED MAHARASHTRA GOVERNMENT WHY FARMERS IN THE VIDARBHA ARE COMMITTING SUICIDES EVEN AFTER THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF A SPECIAL PACKAGE BY THE STATE AND PRIME MINISTER MANMOHAN SINGH DURING HIS TOUR TO THE REGION EARLY THIS MONTH.
A DIVISION BENCH OF JUSTICE R M S KHANDEPARKAR AND JUSTICE S R DONGAONKAR WHILE HEARING A PUBLIC INTEREST LITIGATION FILED BY VIDARBHA JAN ANDOLAN SAMITI DIRECTED THE
RESPONDENT STATE TO FILE AN AFFIDAVIT CONTAINING ALL SCHEMES MEANT FOR FARMERS TO BAIL THEM OUT FROM THE PRESENT CRISIS AND LIST OF BENEFICIARIES OF SUCH SCHEMES SO FAR.

THE BENCH ALSO TOLD THE STATE TO PUT ALL RELEVANT INFORMATION REGARDING RELIEF MEASURES INITIATED BY THE GOVERNMENT IN THE WEBSITE FOR INFORMATION OF PUBLIC AT LARGE.

THE BENCH ASKED THE PETITIONER, SAMITI PRESIDENT KISHORE TIWARI, TO SUGGEST REMEDIES FOR OVERCOMING THE PRESENT CRISIS.

TODAY IN AFFIDAVIT FILED BEFORE THE HIGH COURT PETITIONER KISHORE TIWARI INFORMED COURT THAT GOVT. OF MAHARASHTRA TILL DATE HAS NOT PUT ANY DATA REGARDING IT’S RELIEF MEASURE IN ORDER TO STOP ON GOING SUICIDES IN VIDARBHA MORE OVER PETITIONER AS GIVEN LIST OF REMEDIES TO HIGH COURT ALONG WITH 716 NAMES OF FARMERS WHO COMMITTED SUICIDE SINCE JUNE, 2005 .THIS LIST INCLUDE NAME 108 FARMERS WHO COMMITTED SUICIDES AFTER PRIME MINISTER ANNOUNCED IT’S RS.3750/- CRORE RELIEF PACKAGE .

A DIVISION BENCH OF JUSTICE R M S KHANDEPARKAR AND JUSTICE S R DONGAONKAR WILL TAKE UP THE MATTER TODAY ON AUGUST 7, 2006 AS APATHY OF GOVT. OFFICIALS ON SUICIDE ISSUE WAS TAKEN VERY SERIOUSLY AND EARLIER ORDER IMPOSED COST OF RS 1000 EACH ON 13 TOP BUREAUCRATS, INCLUDING CHIEF SECRETARY FOR THEIR FAILURE TO TAKE COGNIZANCE OF COURT NOTICE FOR NOT FILING REPLIES.

A DIVISION BENCH OF JUSTICE J N PATEL AND JUSTICE S R DONGAONKAR IN A SNUB TO THE BUREAUCRACY HAD IMPOSED RS 1000 AS COST ON 13 RESPONDENTS.
THE 13 TOP OFFICIALS LATER ON JUNE 28 OFFERED AN APOLOGY TO THE COURT AND DEPOSITED SUM.

LATER ON, WHILE ISSUING THE ORDER TO RECALL OF ITS OWN ORDER, COURT CLEARLY STATED THAT "THIS DOES NOT MEAN A CLEAN CHIT TO THEM.”, HENCE TODAY HEARING IS IMPORTANT AS FARMERS SUICIDES ARE INCREASING DAY BY DAY AND IT HAS TAKEN VERY ALARMING SITUATION WEST VIDARBHA,KISHOR TIWARI ADDED.

PLEASE ARRANGE TO PUBLISH AS NEWS ITEM.


THANKING YOU,
YOURS TRULY,


KISHOR TIWARI

PRESIDENT

VIDARBHA JANADOLAN SAMITI
CONTACT-MOBILE-09422108846

EARLIER REPORT OF AFP-

Court tells India to create website on farmers' suicides

Posted on Monday, July 31, 2006 (EST)

NEW DELHI (AFP) - The Indian Express quoting orders of the Mumbai High Court said the website would contain information concerning farmers' suicides as well as aid packages being implemented by the authorities for those in debt.

The website was due to be online by next week, the daily said.

The court stepped in following complaints that a spree of suicides had not waned despite an economic package offered July 1 by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to impoverished farmers in Maharashtra's cotton-growing belt.

"It will have all details, right from list of farmers committing suicides to the stages of implementation of various (welfare) schemes, funds allocated and spent, number and names of beneficiaries," the report said, quoting an unnamed official.

Social activists say the suicide rate of poverty-hit farmers in the cotton belt has hit a decade high despite Singh's 37.5-billion rupee (835 million dollar) relief package.

Sixty farmers -- including two fathers and their sons -- have killed themselves so far this month crippled with debt and hit by falling prices for their cotton, according to one group working with farmers.

More than 600 farmers killed themselves in Maharashtra's cotton belt of Vidarbha in the 12 months ended June this year, hitting a peak of more than 70 in March, according to Kishor Tiwari, of the Vidarbha People's Protest Forum.

Federal officials earlier this year said more than 8,900 farmers had committed suicide since 2001 in four states hardest hit by the ongoing agricultural crisis, including 980 in Maharashtra.

©AFP

PTI REPORTED ON JUL 11

Nagpur, Jul 11: The Nagpur Bench of the Bombay High Court today asked Maharasthra goverment why farmers in the Vidarbha are committing suicides even after the announcement of a special package by the State and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during his tour to the region early this month.

A division bench of Justice R M S Khandeparkar and Justice S R Dongaonkar while hearing a Public Interest Litigation filed by Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti, directed the respondent state to file an affidavit containing all schemes meant for farmers to bail them out from the present crisis and list of beneficiaries of such schemes so far.

The Bench also told the State to put all relevant information regarding relief measures initiated by the government in the website for information of public at large.

The Bench asked the petitioner, Samiti President Kishore Tiwari, to suggest remedies for overcoming the present crisis.

The High Court recalled its earlier order of imposition of cost of Rs 1000 each on 13 top bureaucrats, including Chief Secretary for their failure to take cognizence of court notice for not filing replies.

A division bench of Justice J N Patel and Justice S R Dongaonkar in a snub to the bureaucracy had imposed Rs 1000 as cost on 13 respondents.

The 13 top officials later on June 28 offered an apology to the court and deposited sum.

Today, while issuing recall of its own order, court clearly stated that "this does not mean a clean chit to them."

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