Is Karnataka going the Vidarbha way? 300 farmers end lives in just 5 months!

Hassan stands top with 39 farmers' deaths so far in the said period No farmer deaths have been reported from Udupi and Dakshina Kannada districts Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is yet to waive off farm loans

The number of farmers' deaths in the state seem to be going through the roof even after the state is set for a good monsoon this year. So far, from January 19, the number of farmers' death has been gone up to 301 in just five months.

The common problems that plague these were said to be loan burden, failure of borewell, crop loss, flood and drought. What is worrying is that Hassan district stands on top with more number of farmers' deaths. As many as 39 farmers have ended their lives in Hassan and 36 in Chikmagaluru. In Yadgir, which comes under the Hyderabad Karnataka region has registered 28 deaths so far and stands at third place. Not just these, even Mandya (23), Haveri (21) and other districts too have witnessed farmers' deaths.

Strangely, this year, the farmers' deaths have been reported from Malenadu area like Chikmagaluru. The reasons that the farmers' in these regions have cited are failure of borewells and lack of rainfall. While this coffee land is rich in soil and water, the number of farmers' deaths has indeed surprised the government officials.

Only one farmer from Uttar Kannada district ended his life while no farmers' deaths have been reported from Udupi and Dakshina Kannada districts.

The state has been witnessing severe drought for the past four years and this has pushed the farmers' deaths to an all-time high in the Siddaramaiah government. Moreover, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah -during his budget - had decided not to waive off the loan this year unless the Central government takes a decision in this regard. Now that the Centre has refused to provide any help from its side, the ball is in the court of Siddaramaiah.