THE GOVERNMENT of Maharashtra has imposed restriction on cotton export on cotton farmers, then it allowed seed, fertilizer and pesticide companies to increase their price without giving any consideration to minimum support price to Maharashtra's main cash crop cotton - forcing debt ridden cotton farmers to commit suicide.

Ever since he assumed office three farmers a day have committed suicide, which is a record - especially for a chief minister who is so called the most efficient CM. But farmers despair and their distress has been triggered due to the state's attitude of indecision to handle the crisis, said Kishor Tiwari of Vidarbha Janandolan Samiti informed in press note.

"Massive corruption from top to bottom and very hostile and failure of administration is killing innocent cotton farmers. We have been demanding intervention by the central governmet but nobody is listening to our plea," said Tiwari, urging UPA convener Smt. Sonia Gandhiji to change the Chief Minister of Maharashtra Prithviraj Chavan as he has failed to protect cotton farmers of Vidarbha, and has ignored main demands of hike in Minimum Support Price of cotton, soybean and paddy, and failed to resolve the issues of the procurement centers along with the serious issue of power cut in rural Vidarbha, which is for more than 18 hours. Due to load-shedding, 50% cotton and paddy production of the region has suffered.