Either cancel Shaktipeeth E-way project or give us nod to end lives: Farmers write to CM using blood

Nanded, Jan 2 (PTI) Farmers in parts of Maharashtra's Nanded district have written a letter to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis using their own blood, stating that the proposed Nagpur-Goa Shaktipeeth Expressway be either cancelled or they be given permission to "die collectively".

Farmers from the Ardhapur and Malegaon areas dashed off the letter to the CM on Thursday.

The memorandum bears the signatures of over 200 affected farmers, including Subhash Moralwar and Satish Kulkarni, coordinators of the Shaktipeeth Highway Virodhi Kruti Samiti, an action committee formed to oppose the project.

In the letter, they said the proposed highway alignment will devastate highly fertile and irrigated land, where crops like bananas and turmeric exported directly overseas are cultivated. These lands fall within the benefit zone of the Lower and Upper Penganga irrigation projects.

The Shaktipeeth Highway Virodhi Kruti Samiti questioned the government's "double standards", and urged it to either cancel the project or give the affected farmers to end their lives collectively.

Moralwar and Kulkarni said the government has recently indicated in the legislature that the highway alignment may be altered in Solapur, Sangli and Kolhapur districts due to the availability of parallel routes.

"If that logic applies there, why is it ignored here?" they asked, noting that National Highway 361 (Nagpur-Ratnagiri) already passes just 3 to 8 km from their region.

"Why must only our fertile lands be sacrificed?" they asked.

The committee has warned that if the government fails to find an immediate solution, the agitation will be intensified further and the administration will be held responsible for the consequences. PTI COR NP