Massive protest on June 9 to force govt to cancel Shaktipeeth Expressway: Satej Patil

Kolhapur: Congress MLC Satej Patil has decided to hold a mega protest march from Kolhapur’s Dasara Chowk to the district collector’s office on June 9 against the proposed Nagpur-Goa Shaktipeeth Expressway.After the new alignment for the 850km-long highway was made public recently by state govt, farmers opposing the Rs1.10 lakh crore highway met at Kolhapur’s Kasba Bawda under the leadership of Patil and former MP and farmers’ leader Raju Shetti. Addressing the packed hall, Patil said, “On June 9, we are going to hold a massive protest. The farmers who will lose their land, those who will be affected by the floods due to the highway, people who care for the forests and wildlife will come in large numbers to register their protest. Last time, for the old alignment, we took to the streets, and forced govt to cancel the alignment passing through one part of Kolhapur. Now the new alignment finalised is more dangerous for the farmers and villagers. The June 9 march will force the govt to cancel Shaktipeeth Highway totally.”Patil said that the company assigned for survey is deploying middlemen at 10% commission rate of the land price to convince the farmers to surrender their land. In Kolhapur, the proposed highway passes through 78 villages. “I have told the farmers to fight on technical aspects as well. The last date of filing objections ends on May 22. The objections should reach the authorities before May 22 and ensure that the farmers have copies of the objections since last time we were told that the objections did not reach the office. Thereafter till June 9, our volunteers will reach out to the farmers, get the resolutions passed against the highway in grampanchayat’s, cooperative societies. I have also asked people to gather details of how much 2005, 2019 and 2021 floods impacted them,” said Patil.Shetti said, “It is said to be dream project for CM Devendra Fadnavis, it will remain in his dreams only. I appeal farmers to not let the officials to carry out measurement of the land either on ground or using drones. Don’t let them take soil samples. Once the land measurement is carried nothing can be done and the govt will forcefully acquire the land. Recent postings especially in Sangli and Kolhapur are done to break the unity of the farmers and get the land for the highway.”Shetti said that economic cost of the highway will be very high. “The sugar industry will collapse as once the highway is built there will be reduction in sugarcane production by 25 lakh tons. Already the mills are operating just for 80 days and they are not able to repay the farmers. The bridges will be built along the rivers passing through Sangli and Kolhapur districts. The bridges will cause floods,” added Shetti.