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Congress threatens agitation over Ganga Expressway

Photo: Subir Roy

All smiles: Chief Minister Mayawati laying the foundation of the Ganga Expressway in Lucknow on her 52nd birthday.

LUCKNOW: The Congress has threatened to launch a mass agitation if the interests of the farmers affected by the 1,000 kilometre Ballia to Noida Ganga Expressway Project were ignored by the State government in Uttar Pradesh.

The rehabilitation package announced by the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister, Mayawati, on Tuesday was described as inadequate and unclear by the Congress.

The president of the Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee, Rita Bahuguna Joshi, said that her party supported all the public welfare schemes but the manner in which the Expressway Project was being expedited raised doubts over the authenticity of the State’s claims.

Dr. Joshi said though the private players were short listed for developing the project but neither the alignment nor the survey of the villages were undertaken by the State . She added that the Detailed Project Report had also not been finalised.

Dr. Joshi noted that although the Expressway Project envisaged controlling the flow of the Ganga, the State was yet to obtain clearance from both the Water Resources Ministry and the Ministry of Environment.

She added that permission from the Surface Transport Ministry, which is mandatory for building highways, was not sought by the Mayawati government. Besides, the government was silent on “sweeteners” (special concessions) given to the private players in lieu of developing the Expressway, the UPCC chief said. The Congress demanded employment for all adult members of the affected and displaced families. Dr. Joshi said the SEZ policy of the Haryana government should be adopted for declaring compensation. In the Haryana SEZ policy annuity of Rs. 30,000 per acre for 33 years is paid to the affected families along with an annual increase of Rs. 1,000.

Ms. Mayawati while laying the foundation stone for the Project attacked the Samajwadi Party for opposing the mega scheme.

The Chief Minister announced several welfare measures ,including a Rs.1,600-crore package for the drought-hit Bundelkhand region and two districts of the Purvanchal region on Tuesday, which was also her 52nd birthday. She held the Centre and the previous State government responsible for the drought in Bundelkhand.

At a press conference, Ms. Mayawati described the expressway as the biggest infrastructure project in the country, and said it would give a fillip to the development of the backward regions on the left bank of the Ganga. The project would benefit entrepreneurs, traders and people in the rural areas. No toll would be realised from the expressway service road.

Mostly, infertile and barren land would be acquired for the project. The SP had decided to launch an agitation against the expressway project, but Ms. Mayawati ensured that her birthday party was not disrupted.

A heavy police contingent and the Rapid Action Force were deployed around Mr. Singh’s residence and the SP office.

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