MARGAO
Debt-ridden orchid farmers from Canacona, who had gone into orchid cultivations under the National Horticulture Mission scheme during 2015-16 knocked on the doors of the South Goa district police chief Arvind Gawas with a plea to file an FIR against the contractor and the bank officials for cheating.
The 21 farmers, who had submitted a formal complaint to the district police chief along with Prashant Naik, claimed that they were lured to go in for the orchid cultivation under the component of protected cultivation for assistance for construction of poly house with drip irrigation.
Later addressing the media, Prashant said that the suicide trend which has been seen in the states of Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat will raise its ugly head in Goa if the interests of these beleaguered farmers are not protected by the local government.
“These farmers are burdened with huge debt amounting to over Rs 25 lakh. They were cheated to go in for the project, but did not receive the promised benefits,” he said.
Prashant said these farmers have been running from pillar to post since the last one year to resolve their grievances.
