TO HIGHLIGHT the miseries of farmers and villagers in the wake of ground water depletion, a Jal Adhikar Yatra was taken out from Varanasi on Sunday under the joint auspices of Lok Samiti and National Alliance of People’s Movements (both social organisations).
Magsaysay awardee Dr Sandeep Pandey flagged off the Yatra from Mehdiganj-based bottling plant of a soft drink company in Varanasi on Sunday.
Dr Pandey said that the focus point of yatra was to highlight the miseries of farmers that had emerged due to extraction of enormous ground water by companies for their commercial purpose. He further added that after covering different districts of Uttar Pradesh, the Yatra will reach New Delhi where the activists would stage a three-day dharna at Jantar Mantar from October 3 to 5.
Coordinator of Lok Samiti, Nand Lal Master, said the yatra would pass through every district in Uttar Pradesh and demonstration would be held outside all bottling plants of the soft drink companies in UP.
Nand Lal Master said that a large number of villagers of Mehdiganj would participate in the demonstration. He further added that noted social worker Medha Patker, Arundhati Rai, Mahesh Bhat, Nandita Das and Shabana Azmi were schedule to participate in the yatra during its last phase.
{{/usCountry}}Nand Lal Master said that a large number of villagers of Mehdiganj would participate in the demonstration. He further added that noted social worker Medha Patker, Arundhati Rai, Mahesh Bhat, Nandita Das and Shabana Azmi were schedule to participate in the yatra during its last phase.
{{/usCountry}}Blood donation camp
THE BENGALI Association of Banaras Hindu University organised a voluntary blood donation camp at Sir Sunderlal Hospital in BHU here on Sunday.
Around 200 volunteers donated blood in the camp. In-charge of the blood bank at SS Hospital (BHU), Dr KK Pandey, conducted the camp whereas Dipak Dey of BAC conducted the programme.