Farmers demand cancellation of Shaktipeeth amid alignment dispute in Sangli

Kolhapur: The row over the Nagpur-Goa (Pavnar-Patradevi) Shaktipeeth Highway once again flared up after chief minister Devendra Fadnavis claimed the alignment of the highway would be changed, where farmers are opposed to the road.Taking note of this, the Anti-Shaktipeeth Highway Committee planned a protest march on Feb 23 from Budhgaon village to the Sangli district collectorate, demanding cancellation of the entire Shaktipeeth project and not merely a change in alignment. A meeting of farmers opposing the Shaktipeeth highway took place on Sunday evening in Sangli.Umesh Deshmukh, of the Anti-Shaktipeeth Highway Committee, addressing the farmers, said, "The proposed Shaktipeeth highway will affect 19 villages in the district. Most of the farmers in these villages are strongly against it. Recognising this, the CM announced that the alignment will be changed. However, even if the layout is changed, the parallel highway will remain. The change in the drawing will not eliminate the risk of floods. Irrigated land will be acquired. The highway will pass through the middle of the farms. This will create problems for the farmers. Therefore, the project should be cancelled."Farmers at the meeting claimed that the new alignment of the Shaktipeeth highway will pass through Khanapur, Kadegaon and Walva talukas of Sangli district.Meanwhile, Sambhaji Bhide of Shiv Pratishthan Hindustan and other members of the Pro Shaktipeeth Highway Committee decided to conduct meetings in Sangli, Solapur and Kolhapur districts to raise the demand that the highway be built as per the original alignment. Addressing a gathering of farmers from Kolhapur, Sangli and Solapur in support of the highway, Bhide said, "We will hold meetings in every district to make the Nagpur-Goa Shaktipeeth highway as per the old drawing and present the farmers' case before the CM and both deputy CMs. The votes of the farmers of the three districts of Sangli, Kolhapur and Solapur should be counted."Several corporators from the Sangli Miraj Kupwad Municipal Corporation, farmers, and members of Shiv Pratishthan Hindustan were present.