Despite being the most crucial and significant section of the society, farmers are feeling neglected by the policy makers, said the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).

The rights panel said that the issue is not only relating to their right to life and dignity of the victims but also indicative of failure and inaction by the state agencies.

Describing it as a matter of concern, NHRC on Thursday said that it has taken suo motu cognizance of media reports regarding the deaths of 106 farmers during a period of one month in Tamil Nadu.


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It has issued a notice to the chief secretary, Tamil Nadu calling a detailed report in the matter within six weeks. He has been asked to also inform about the steps taken or proposed to be taken by the state government, said a press release.

The commission has observed that there is a need for sincere implementation of the laws and policies made for the farming sector especially, the small farmers. The farmers are required to be brought out of the agrarian crisis, which have been adversely affecting them since long. Failure of a crop not only affects the farmers, financially but also puts them under tremendous stress and mental agony. The entire family collapses when a farmer dies or commits suicide.

It has reportedly not rained and the level of the ground water has also shrunk at many places in the state. The water bodies are also drying. The poor farmers, who depend upon their crops, are the most vulnerable section of the society and they always become victims of various vagaries.    
          
A Tamil daily reported on January 3 that 83 farmers died of heart attack. There have also been instances of suicides by farmers. The same newspaper reported on January 5 that the number of deaths has reached 106.

As per reports, the most affected districts are Thiruvarur, Nagapattinam, Viluppuram, Pudukottai, Ariyalur, Cuddalore and Thanjavur.