Write off agri loans of farmers: LDF

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: LDF state committee which met here on Thursday has called upon the government to write off the agriculture loans availed of by the farmers of Wayanad and other parts of the state. Briefing the decisions of the meeting ,LDF convener Vaikom Viswan told a newsconference here that government should shake off its inertia and initiate speedy  action to solve the debt problem of the farmers. He pointed out that eight farmers had committed suicide in the last six months of UDF rule. During the tenure of the previous UDF government also there was a series of  farmer suicides. Now there is apprehension about recurrence of the suicides. However the present UDF Government was still adopting a lax approach which was followed  by earlier UDF government. The government had taken a stand that all suicides are not farmersuicides and it is dilly-dallying in announcing solatium to the families of the victims. Additional Chief Secretary K Jayakumar, after conducting a visit to  Wayanad, had reported that a grave situation prevailed in Wayanad which warranted urgent steps to extend relief. “The farmers must have availed of loans other than agri loan following the difficulty in getting agriculture loans. They had also borrowed money from various sources to meet the farming expenses. Besides, they must have availed of educational loans,’’ he said. Viswan said government should take note of all these factors and provide relief to the farmers immediately. In view of the grave situation prevailing in the district, LDF will send two delegations to Wayanad. One team led by LDF convener will visit the district on November 20 and the other led by Opposition leader V S Achuthanandan will visit Wayanad on November 26. The leaders of LDF partners will also be members of thedelegations. The state committee also passed resolution asking the government to take urgentsteps to protect the Central public sector unit IRE, Chavara, from being privatised. The committee also decided to field a CPM candidate at the ensuing by-election at Piravam. The candidature will be decided  on November 21 or 22. The CPM state committee meeting has been scheduled for November 22 and 23. V S Achuthanandan chaired the LDF state committee meeting.