Mumbai: Six farmers attempted suicide by drinking poison in front of the local administration’s office in Manvat, Parbhani district, Maharashtra, on Thursday. They had been demanding the completion of several drinking water and irrigation projects.

They tried to commit suicide by drinking poison in front of the sub-district office but the authorities quickly overpowered them and took them to a governmental hospital where they are presently undergoing treatment.

It was their protest against the failure of the administration for not completing several development works including drinking water supply to their village.

On April 11, at least 15 farmers had submitted a signed memorandum to Manvat ‘tehsildar’ (revenue officer) about their decision to commit mass suicide. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis was expected to arrive today along with Union Surface Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari to inaugurate some development and road projects.

Farmers’ suicides have not abated in spite of the government announcing loan waivers to help them surmount their debts.

Parbhani district in Marathwada region witnessed more such deaths with a 60-year-old farmer hanging himself from a tree in his field just two days back. A resident of Ravalgaon village, Shivaji Rodage had taken loans from a bank and private money lenders and could not repay, which led to depression.

Within a month three farmers committed suicide while four others made attempts to kill themselves in Manvat the division of Parbhani.

On April 1, a 25-year-old distressed farmer, Bharat Survase, attempted suicide and is battling for life due to mounting debts and a failed cotton crop that was destroyed by the pink bollworm, a menace faced by cotton growers.

Earlier, a 75-year-old farmer from Yavatmal district had lighted his own pyre of fodder under a tree and immolated himself by jumping into the fire. The farmer, Madhav Shankar Rawate, had seen his cotton crop on his four-acre farm being destroyed by the pink bollworm attack. He owed Rs60,000 (Dh 3,346) to creditors.

Marathwada, an arid region of the state, recorded a total of 278 cases of farmers’ suicide from January1-April 16, registering a rise of 27 as compared to the corresponding period last year.

Debt-ridden farmers continue to end their lives despite the government waiving crop loans of 900,000 farmers across the region.

Taking view of the severe water scarcity in the state, the Maharashtra government has launched a project Jalyukt Shivar Abhiyaan, in a bid to make this a drought-free state by 2019. The project involves construction of cement and earthen dams, as well as work on streams and digging of farm ponds.

The project aims to make 5,000 villages water self-sufficient this year.