Bhopal, Mar 10: Agriculture Minister Gopal Bhargava today told the state Assembly that the death of a farmer and his two daughters in Lanji assembly segment of Balaghat district was possibly caused by poisonous food.

Replying to an adjournment motion brought by Kishor Samrite (SP), Bhargava said Sogalpur village-resident Lalram (35) and his two daughters had died possibly after consuming poisonous food. However, exact reason could be known after viscera test.

He said family members and villagers did not suspect suicide because the peasant family was financially stable. He claimed that no farmer in the state has committed suicide due to debt. Bhargava refused that Bhaiyalal Gond, who hailed from Amera village in the same area, died due to poverty as his family had sufficient foodgrain. The allegation that he committed suicide due to poverty and starvation did not hold water.

Responding to supplementary question by Samirte regarding crops being destroyed by pests, Bhargava admitted that 2-5 per cent crops had been affected due to pests. Samrite alleged that farmers were committing suicide due to forceful collection of debts by moneylenders and banks. The government had failed to provide relief to farmers from moneylenders.

Bhargava said the government had requested the Centre to frame some rules so that forceful collection of debts by moneylenders could be stopped in order to provide relief to farmers. He said Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has directed the district collectors and banks to postpone collection of debts. Strict action would be taken in case of forceful collection by them.

Rejecting the demand for declaring Lanji as drought-affected, Bhargava said the the area could not be declared as drought-hit due to 50-75 per cent 'anawari' (assessment) in the area.