Till a couple of weeks back, Dr G.K. Veeresh may not have sounded familiar. But the dozens of farmers’ suicide in two weeks have made the media and politicians recollect this scientist’s name. The entomologist working with GKVK then, had led a team of experts that went through farmers’ suicide in early 2000. His team gave a comprehensive report, demystifying the myths politicians attach to the suicides and proposed steps that could arguably ease the distress the farming community faces. During an interview with Deccan Chronicle, Dr Veeresh talked about the report, its implementation and if there was any difference in the pattern of suicides now and way back in early 2000.
To highlight the apathy of the government, he said officials had called him to get a copy of the report. He promptly sent it and got a call saying they wanted him to translate it! Dr Veeresh who is in his seventies is not a pessimist but makes no qualms of his dissatisfaction over non-implementation of the report.
What is your reaction to the spree of farmers’ suicide?
Some time back, Swaminathan Aiyer wrote a column in a leading newspaper and said everyone from politicians to bureaucrats to journalists, want farmers’ suicide. After seeing politicians visiting the houses of those who committed suicide now, I felt the same.
Do you see any change in the trend compared to 2000?
It was tur dal farmers then, this time it is sugarcane farmers and others too. The crop might be different, but the vicious circle of distress remains the same.
What was the method you adopted to study the suicides?
On our panel was a Nimhans professor, a police officer and an agriculture economist. We took the help of the psychology department of Bengaluru University. The PG students were involved.
First, they went to villages where farmers’ suicide happened and collected information in cognito. Then, they had to meet family members to collect information related to the deceased. In many cases, family members could not figure out the exact reason which drove them to suicide. We tried to be very scientific.
Can you recollect the major recommendations?
Creation of farmers’ welfare fund to meet the social consumption needs of farmers and a nodal department for welfare of farmers, this is for co-ordinating and implementing all developmental programmes. Awareness on harmful effects of alcohol, reforms in providing relief measures, diversification of farm activities, amendments to Karnataka Land Reforms Act, helping farmers reduce extravagant spending and authentication of data on suicides.
How many of your recommendations were implemented till date?
They have set up Raitha Samparka Kendras. But its scope should be expanded. The Raitha Sanjeevini programme was launched. Similarly old age pension scheme was rolled out. Some of these schemes suffer from bureaucratic bottlenecks. I was told the report was gaining dust. After we submitted the report, some of the recommendations were incorporated, but no serious effort was made to implement the report. We recommended a cabinet sub-committee headed by the CM be set up to implement the report. But it did not happen.
Mr S.M. Krishna said he did not have time to implement your report. Successive governments too failed to implement it.
We submitted the report in 2002. Actually, he could have easily implemented it. I presume, due to political preoccupation, he could not do it.
Now you see politicians visiting the bereaved families and the government announcing compensation. Is it right?
One of the recommendations we made was: do not give compensation. It would send a wrong signal. These politicians do not learn. I do not understand why they visit families of farmers committed suicide. It will send a wrong signal. It is sad.
They are public representatives. It will send a wrong signal if they don’t visit when their people are in a crisis.
Farmers suicides happen due to inaction of our leaders and bureaucrats. Now, they have announced one more committee. Whatever be the committee, the recommendations would more or less be the same. My question: Can these leaders who visit farmers’ families, admit their failure in public?
Do you have the courage to adopt children of these families? You give money and many middlemen will land up at the houses of these families to extort their share?
