This story is from October 11, 2019

Gujarat district will store pesticides to prevent farmer suicides

Gujarat district will store pesticides to prevent farmer suicides
Both the farmer and village officer need to turn their keys to unlock the pesticide locker.
AHMEDABAD: Gulping pesticide to end one's life will no longer be easy for distressed farmers now. In 54 villages in the district which is home to PM Narendra Modi's birthplace, farm insecticides will be stored in village offices and it will take two to unlock this pesticide stock.
On World Mental Health Day on Thursday, swanky storage units which will constitute community pesticide lockers arrived at these village offices.
Several farmers thronged to have a dekko at these units which, like bank lockers, can be opened only when the farmer and village officer turn the key together.
In one village, over 200-250 locker units are installed. These are part of Suicide Prevention and Implementation Research Initiative (SPIRIT), a joint initiative launched by state government along with Pune-based Centre for Mental Health Law & Policy (CMHLP), Chennai-based NGO Sneha, US-based National Institute of Mental Health and World Health Organization (WHO).
Amrut Desai, sarpanch of Vadu village, said in past few years, a couple of farmers had ended their lives drinking pesticide they used in their farms. "With pesticide stock in lockers, lack of access would hopefully prove as deterrent for farmers who constitute 50% of village's 5,000 population from taking any extreme step," Desai said.
1,983 persons committed suicide in Gujarat by consuming pesticide
Dr Ajay Chauhan, superintendent of Ahmedabad-based Government Hospital for Mental Health and coordinator for SPIRIT project, said India had recorded 23,930 suicides in 2015 where the victims had consumed pesticide/ insecticide to end life.
“Gujarat was seventh with 1,983 persons– 1,276 men and 707 women — committed suicide drinking pesticide. The model adopts successful Tamil Nadu initiative by NGO Sneha. Mehsana has been selected for the pilot project,” said Dr Chauhan. He likened lockers as rural equivalent of grills fixed on bridges of Sabarmati River in Ahmedabad to deter persons from jumping ending lives.

Dr Nikhil Jain, research associate with CMHLP, said the project will cover 600 villages.
“Lockers are part of the wider project to train community leaders and youths to identify signs of mental distress. The lock and key mechanism will prevent aiding any split-second decision as prevalence of suicide by poisoning is high in farming communities,” he said.
Shivabhai Thakor, sarpanch of Madhasana village, said that his panchayat has already established the locker which would be functional soon. “Farmers are positive about the move," he said.
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About the Author
Parth Shastri

Parth Shastri is senior correspondent at The Times of India, Ahmedabad. He reports on crime as well as issues related to traffic in the city, forensic investigation, archaeology and emergency medical services.

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