E-Paper
Protests gain momentum
PROTESTS AGAINST the establishment of proposed Hi-Tech City in Varanasi district have been intensified with an initiation of a signature campaign, nukkad nataks and processions.
PROTESTS AGAINST the establishment of proposed Hi-Tech City in Varanasi district have been intensified with an initiation of a signature campaign, nukkad nataks and processions.
It may be mentioned that the members of the Varanasi Development Authority Board had okayed the establishment of proposed Hi-Tech City in Varanasi between Rohania and Mohansarai on the 22-acre land.
Local farmers and activists of Shaheed Bhagat Singh Youth Brigade took out a ‘padyatra’ procession from Karauta Bazar under Lohta area in Varanasi on Friday.
The processionists visited some identified villages, where the proposed Hi-Tech City is to come up.
During the padyatra, the activists and local farmers apprised the people about the adverse affect of its establishment. The activists of Lok Samiti (a social organisation) also staged ‘Nukkad Natak’ at several places. A signature campaign is already under way for last three days.
The activists had already submitted a charter of demands to the divisional commissioner for the withdrawal of proposed Hi-Tech City.
The agitated local farmers were of the view that they never allowed the district administration to acquire their land in the name of the establishment of Hi-Tech city in Varanasi district.
They strongly criticised the state government and apprehended its move to establish a Hi-Tech City in Varanasi would compound the miseries of farmers. They further termed the move of proposed Hi-Tech City as an ‘anti-farmers move’.
Virendra Pratap Yadav of Youth Brigade said that the protest of his organisation would continue till the withdrawal of the establishment of proposed Hi-Tech City in Varanasi district. He added that meetings, demonstrations and procession would be organised at different places in Varanasi to build pressure on the State government to withdraw the plan.
It may be mentioned that a large number of farmers took out a procession and reached the district headquarters on Saturday last where they gheraoed the office of district magistrate. The agitated farmers also handed over a memorandum to the representative of the DM for the withdrawal of establishment of the High-Tech City plan in Varanasi district.
