Two farmers from Niphad and Trimbakeshwar tehsils ended their lives, as they were frustrated with their inability to run their farms. Sources said there have been 52 suicides in the district this year.
According to the police, farmer Dashrath Trimbak Bhoye (42) had a farm in Dalpatpur village of Trimbakeshwar and a two-acre plot where crops had failed to grow. He committed suicide by hanging himself in his house. In the other case, farmer Shantaram Nathu Waje (60) hanged himself in Srirampur village in Niphad tehsil at Nashik district at midnight. Though the deceased was landless, his wife Rekhabai had a small farm. The chain reaction of farmer suicides continues in Nashik district with farmers ending their lives, possibly due to poverty, bankruptcy and frustration.
Most of the suicides were reported from parched Malegaon, but farmers from well-irrigated Niphad, Nashik and Trimbakeshwar tehsils have begun bearing the brunt of the looming drought and their inability to return loans.
Meanwhile, rain has eluded Nashik. Lack of rainfall, negligible sowing and three per cent water remaining in various reservoirs have become a cause for worry for farmers and urban water planners. In total, 4.09 per cent rainfall has been recorded in Nashik district till date compared to 15.1 per cent rainfall last year by June 28. Sowing should be completed by July 1 at the most during the current kharif season. Any sowing after this date either results in low yield or no crop. But sowing needs rains. National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Limited (NAFED) director Nanasaheb Patil said that the weather office has recommended against sowing till proper rainfall is recorded so except for some tomatoes in small plots, no major sowing has been completed in the district. “Maize will be the only possible crop during late rains,” he said.
