The Tamil Nadu Government, was slammed by the Supreme Court, today, for their inappropriate measures, to prevent farmer suicides in the State.

The Supreme Court, said, “it was painful to hear that farmers are committing suicide, and the State Government is not taking enough steps.” The court further directed the State Chief Minister, Edappadi K. Palaniswami Government, to lodge a detailed reply in the case.

The Madras High Court, in a significant order, on April 4, directed the Tamil Nadu Government, to waive the loans of all drought-hit farmers, and prevent all the cooperative societies and banks from recovering their dues.

The court also noted that the State was single handedly thrusting the debt burden in a drought year, and the financial situation was grim, which led the farmers to commit suicide. It also suggested that the Central Government should come forward, and not remain as a silent spectator. It should extend financial help to Tamil Nadu, during this difficult situation, the Court added.

The bench comprised of Justices, S Nagamuthu and M V Muralidaran, who have the order of waiving the loans, while allowing a petition by National South Indian River Interlinking Agriculturists Association.

Few days earlier, the Tamil Nadu farmers held a protest demanding loan waiver and compensation for crop failure, at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi.

The Court added that, it was aware of the State’s financial situation, The Chief Secretary in her letter to the Advocate General also repeated the same. In addition to a loan burden of Rs 5,780 crore, there will also be an additional burden of Rs 1,980.33 crore to bear.

The Court, further, directed the cooperation, food and consumer protection department and registrar of cooperative societies to extend the crop loan waiver scheme under two Government Orders of 2016, to all farmers. This also includes, those whose landholding was more than five acres.

The bench said, “We further direct the department to issue necessary significant order extending the impugned scheme to all farmers. The order shall be issued within three months from today.”

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