Kishan Sabha pleads for loan relief to farmers

Special Correspondent

Silchar, April 12: All India Kishan Sabha (AIKS), Cachar district committee, in a memorandum submitted to the Deputy Commissioner of Cachar on Thursday has projected the sufferings of farmers and fishermen of the region due to recurring floods. Giving a backdrop of how these agriculturists suffered during the last floods of 2016 and 2017, the Sabha referred to the loss of aush and aman paddy in different parts of the district which culmited in immense sufferings to the farmers. Lack of fodder due to the badly affected paddy plants stood in the way of feeding the cattle.

The floods, the memorandum adds, also have taken the fishermen in its spate, resulting in their indescribable miseries. This has been a repeated phenomenon. In fact, during floods, both agricultural and fish productions get severely affected. Moreover, the tural calamity also affects the employment prospect in the rural areas and that becomes a major factor to aggravate the sufferings of rural populace. Even, the cows and bulls have to go unfed, of course, irregularly in such adverse situation which needs no explation.

The areas which are severely affected by floods in the district are Chatla and adjoining areas as well as Tapang block. The farmers and fishermen who depend upon bank loans for their livelihood and survival now find themselves in a predicament. They can hardly be expected to pay back the loans in the light of the damages to their crops and fish productions. The loans were extended by different banks to the farmers of the said areas for developing their agriculture and allied activities. These farmers did pay back part of their loans earlier. Presently, they cannot pay back the remaining amount of loan.

Moreover, the banks have collected reports of these flood affected people from their own sources and make an assessment of their conditions. The memorandum has been submitted by members of AIKS and some farmers with the hope and expectation that some relief will be considered and extended to the borrowers of bank loans for their agriculture and fish boost up programme. Considering the acute fincial distress of these farmers and fishermen, exemption from repaying the loans would help them to begin their agrarian life afresh and with new vigour. The memorandum was signed by Pradip Choudhury, secretary, and other members of AIKS, Cachar district committee.