Hyderabad: The BJP ST Morcha has raised concerns with DGP Jitender Reddy about the issues faced by tribal farmers due to counterfeit seeds.
A group, led by Dr. Kalyan Nayak, the ST Morcha state president, visited the DGP on Monday. They highlighted the problems in the Venkatapuram areas of Mulugu district.
Dr. Nayak explained that for months, companies like SIMJANTA, HITECH, BAYER, and SIBI have distributed fake seeds. This has caused severe losses for tribal farmers, some of whom, overwhelmed by debt, have tragically taken their own lives.
He accused the state government and seed companies of conspiring against these farmers. The Morcha urged that criminal charges be filed against these companies under the PD Act, and demanded that affected farmers receive compensation.
They called for immediate compensation for the farmers who lost 3,000 acres of crops and assistance for 800 tribal farmers. Families of the five farmers who died should receive ex-gratia payments. They also requested that cases be filed under the Money Laundering Act and PEDIAC Act against the companies and their owners.
The Morcha stressed the need for an investigation into the roles of government officials involved and appropriate actions against them. They emphasized the importance of control measures and awareness programs to avert similar incidents in the future.
Dr. Kalyan Nayak criticized the state government, accusing Minister Seethakka of ignoring the suicides of tribal farmers while focusing on sand quarries and beauty contests. He also noted that the Agriculture Minister has not addressed this crisis and accused the Chief Minister of neglecting the farmers’ issues despite regular reviews. The delegation included Ravi Nayak Nenawat, Kunja Santosh, Mahesh Rupawat, Banoth Anusha, and Ramesh Nayak.
