Private companies eye fertile land

Tuesday April 3 2007 11:18 IST

BALANGIR: Till now, farmers of Balangir were allegedly harassed by ?
Mahajans? (money-lenders) and despite possessing acres of fertile
lands, they migrated in search of work.

Their condition, however, remains the same.

This time, their lands are being eyed by private companies who are
planning to grow jatropha for extracting bio-diesel and other kinds
of bio-fuels. With the companies promising rich dividends, farmers
too, are entering into contract with the companies.

Experts who have done extensive research in jatropha and its impact
on environment, said that growing the fruit would create an alarming
situation.

They said that the farmers of Vidharba and Andhra Pradesh had
started cultivating Bt cotton after a good variety of cotton was
promised but later, many farmers committed suicide after incurring
heavy loss.

Similarly, the promise of good returns through cash crops like
jatropha will be counter-productive, they added. Initially, it was
claimed that jatropha was immune to pests but later, studies proved
it wrong.

Recently, agriculture scientist Pankaj Oudhia, had visited the
district in order to spread awareness among the farmers about the
imminent threat of jatropha cultivation to traditional farming. He
had then said that cultivation of crops like jatropha will not only
alienate the lands but also create health problems for people.

He added that jatropha plantation is found to have negative impact
on the environment, health as well as agro bio-diversity. Oudhia
said that a few years back, an experiment in Thailand revealed that
jatropha had considerable potential of causing cancer.

The fruit was banned in Japan when the research organisation proved
that jatropha oil and other parts of it contained carcinogenic
elements.

Meanwhile, there are several farmers who had already lost their
lands to private companies. Farmers of Ghumer, Ghunghutipali,
Jalpali in Patnagarh block have lost about 340 acres for jatropha
cultivation to an Agrabased private company, Taj Gas Limited.

Farmers of Ghumer alleged that 51 acres were purchased at the rate
of only Rs. 7,000 per acre by the company. Meanwhile, Collector R S
Gopalan said that a team of officers was recently sent to Patnagarh
to inquire into the matter and it revealed that the allegations of
the farmers were found to be true.

?However, no documents were found pertaining to the fact that the
farmers were cheated by the company,? he added.

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