Farmer suicide over crop loss as dust and other stone particles damaged paddy crops due to illegal stone quarries

By Akshya Kumar Rout

Jajpur,Octo 16  : A debt ridden farmer of Jajpur district committed suicide by consuming pesticides  on Sunday night   after his agricultural  land has recently been damaged  as   dust and other particles from stone quarries has settled on  the paddy crops .

The deceased farmer Nityananda Parida (68)   of Bajabati   village under  Dharmasala block  raised paddy  crops on his  three   acres of land after obtaining a loan amount of one Lakh from village moneylenders  to purchase paddy seeds and fertilizers.  But,  his land was recently covered with dust from the nearby illegal black stone quarry works which   ruined all his hopes to maintain family.

The deceased farmer is survived by  his widow , a daughter   and a  son.

When contacted Chakravarti Singh Rathore,  the collector of Jajpur said “ After knowing  the incident , I directed the Additional District Magistrate  to submit a report  after visiting the village.   After getting the report, we will take proper action  ”.