Farmers threaten launching movement against hi-tech city

Varanasi, May 25 (UNI) Farmers from villages edging the religious city today threatened launching a massive movement, if the proposal to develop a hi-tech city on fertile land was not scrapped within the next fortnight.

A protest demonstration at the district headquarters and Varanasi Development Authority (VDA) here led by CPI (M) leader Hiralal Yadav evoked the participation of a large number of farmers against the proposed project, which the agitations alleged will wreak havoc with the lives of over 50,000 rural population.

Addressing a meeting following the demonstration, Dr Yadav said while on one hand the Uttar Pradesh government was spending crores of rupees to make barren land cultivable, on the other, it was set to destroy the lives of farmers by developing a hi-tech city over 2,200 acres of 'fertile' land.

Instead of generating employment, UP's proposed move will make youth of the concerned villages unemployed and resultantly force them into the world of crime to earn livelihood, Dr Yadav added.

Raising environmental concerns, Dr Yadav said multi-storyed commercial and residential complexes had already destroyed the soul of the ancient city and the government is now hell-bent at subverting the environment of the adjoining rural areas famous for their vegetable and floral produce.

Mr Yadav and other speakers cautioned the UP government, that if the proposed move was not reverted in the next fortnight, the farmers will launch a massive public movement.

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