Farmers protest Ganga Expressway project

Lucknow, Nov 5(UNI) Farmers in the eastern parts of Uttar Pradesh have lodged a strong protest against acquisition of fertile land close to river Ganga for the proposed 8-lane Ganga Express between Ballia and Noida.

The farmers joined together under the banner of Ganga Expressway Virodhi Kisan Morcha and have announced a massive demonstration in the state capital on November 12 when they will hand over a memorandum to the governor.

Former state minister and Samajwadi Party leader Om Prakash Singh, convenor of this new organisation, said here today that the decision to hold a demonstration in the state capital was taken at the mahapanchayat of the affected farmers on October 28 last.

Mr Singh said that the farmers were being forced to leave their fertile land and the government was taking harsh measures to harass them so that they leave their lands without any delay.

The farmers have urged the governor to intervene and order the Bahujan Samaj Party(BSP) government to withdraw the Ganga Expressway project as several lakh families would be homeless and farmers will have to search for alternative jobs.

UNI