FATEHABAD: They are doing something they never did openly in their native village, Gorakhpur, of Fatehabad district.

With long sticks in hands and covering their faces, women from Gorakhpur village seems ready to fight for their land, which the government wants to acquire for the proposed nuclear power plant.

Like warriors, over two dozen women of the village have started guarding their land to prohibit entry of officials in their fields.

Despite stiff opposition from villagers, the government on Wednesday announced the award to acquire land for the power plant.

However, despite this, the protesters have intensified their agitation against the government move. Helping their male counterparts, the "women battalion" has also joined hands with them now.

"We will give duty in two shifts — 8 am to 2 pm and 2 pm to 6 pm — to protect our land. After that, male protesters will guard the land," said a woman, requesting anonymity.

"We are ready to sacrifice our life, but won’t part with the land. More women will join the struggle in coming days," said another woman.

"Farmers from our village have been protesting for the past 710 days but nobody from the government wants to understand our feelings and apprehensions about the nuclear power plant," she alleged.

Hans Raj Siwach, president of the Kisan Sangharsh Samiti, said, "Women are also aware about the consequences of nuclear power plant, so they have come out to support us. We won’t allow forcible acquisition of our land for the power plant."

Due to opposition from farmers, land survey in Gorakhpur has become a challenge for the officials. The survey team on Thursday did not visit the village as scheduled, said an official. However, officials have surveyed 185 acres land in neighboring Badopal village, which will also be acquired for the power plant. Over 1,300 acres of land proposed to be acquired for the power plant belongs to farmers of Gorakhpur, most of whom are opposing the move.

Source: Times of India (online). Click to read article at source.
 

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