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  • From: Gene GeRue <genegerue AT ruralize.com>
  • To: homestead AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [Homestead] Punjab Drought Problem/Suicides.
  • Date: Fri, 20 May 2005 14:42:18 -0700

Anyone need any additional encouragement to get their land paid for and then not borrow against it?

> Village after village in Punjab is up for sale. Rural indebtedness has
> reached such alarming proportions that entire communities are being forced to 'distress-sell' their lands. . . .
> "Eighty per cent of the land in our village has been mortgaged to
> banks and moneylenders. Since we are not in a position to repay these loans, and have been driven to a state of complete impoverishment, we are being forced to sell our only asset which has come down to us from our dadas and pardadas (forefathers).". . .
> Sunshe Singh and his wife, also from Govindpura Jawaharwala, borrowed Rs 200,000 from Amar Prakash, a moneylender, 13 years ago. Prakash is now insisting that the amount has tripled to almost Rs 600,000. The shocked couple turned to the panchayat for help. "The panchayat has summoned the moneylender twice but he has refused to heed them. He has told them that they can do what they like especially since they have no power to arrest him," says Gajo Kaur.
>
> The pressure on the old couple has been so intense that their only son
> committed suicide by consuming pesticide.






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