SIT report: 4 farmers who killed selves listed as Yavatmal poisoning casualties

Mumbai: The Special Investigative Team (SIT), which is investigating farmer deaths in Yavatmal district due to inhalation of poisonous pesticides, has made some startling revelations in its probe report. The name of four farmers who had committed suicides earlier also find a mention in the current list of deaths. SIT also found many violations in the standard operating procedures by several departments, including the home ministry, which is led by chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, according to an official.

According to the state government’s report, 21 farmers died due to inhalation of poisonous fumes due to spraying pesticides on cotton plants. Over 400
farmers and labourers have fallen sick. But the Yavatmal district is also infamous for large number of farmer suicides. According to the official, inclusion of the names of the 3-4 farmers, who had killed themselves earlier in the list of pesticide poisoning deaths reported in September-October this year, were probably done at the departmental level.

A senior IAS officer posted in the state agriculture department alleged, “It is a deliberate attempt to show these suicide cases as victims of pesticide inhalation possibly to misappropriate the compensation amount (at the departmental level) given by the state government. It is not just about inserting the farmers’ names for compensation. It seems officials from the health, agriculture, home and revenue departments, apart from private companies selling these pesticides, are involved in this mess,” he alleged.