An article by Sandeep Bhushan, published by NDTV.com, tells how "in the last 15 years, 49 Jat Sikh farmers in Bhullan village of Punjab's Sangrur district have committed suicide, leaving behind their women, children and staggering loans."The article explains, "Ever since cotton became the favoured crop along with wheat in Punjab two decades ago, excessive pesticide use, growing salinity and a ballooning debt trap have led to a major shift in land ownership in the country's grain bowl.
Civil society groups say more than 20,000 farmers have killed themselves across Punjab in the last 20 years."
Full article: Debt drives Punjab farmers to suicide
