Protest against farmland acquisition planned in Gujarat

GANDHINAGAR - There will be a statewide protest in Gujarat March 6 against the government’s move to acquire farmland and allot it to industry.

The protest will be known as Mahuva Day.

Farmers of Mahuva area in Gujarat’s Bhavnagar district have been agitating against a Rs.1,400 crore 214 hectare cement plant being put up by Nirma, which will require a large mining lease.

The mining of limestone, the locals feel, will remove the natural barrier that is preventing the incursion of salt water from the sea and ruin the area which has been greened after tidal regulators were put in place.

The agitation, which is being led by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator Kanu Kalsariya against the government of his own party, has brought activists and Gandhians to support the cause.

Last week farmers had planned a Sabarmati to Gandhinagar protest march, but that was aborted by the government through preventive detentions.

Kalsariya confirmed that leaders of the Gujarat Lok samiti and other civil society organisations have decided to observe Mahuva Day to focus statewide attention on this issue.

“This is not an isolated instance. Farmers in many other parts of the state are facing similar problems,” he added.