Farmers in Gujarat begin indefinite fast for Narmada waters, seek cancellation of smart city in Dholera SIR

By A Representative
A fresh round of farmers’ protests are in the offing in south of Ahmedabad. Angry with the “refusal” of the Gujarat government to withdraw its decision to de-command 28,203 hectare, the farmers 22 villages of Dholera Special Investment Region (SIR) in Ahmedabad district have begun indefinite relay fast to provide them irrigation water from the Narmada canal.
Sitting in front of Dhandhuka regional office of the Sardar Sarovar Narmada Nigam Ltd (SSNNL), the government agency responsible for implementing the Narmada project, the farmers are on fast under banner of Bhal Bachao Samiti. They want the proposed smart city in Dholera SIR cancelled.
A senior farmers’ leader, Sagar Rabari, who has been leading the agitation, has said that the decision to provide Narmada waters to the 22 villages of the Dholera SIR remains suspended for the last 10 years.
There have been several pretexts for not providing water to the region”, says Rabari, whose organization Khedut Samaj – Gujarat has been actively supporting the Bhal Bachao Samiti. “The are unhappy that though the main canal has been made, the government has stopped construction of its distributaries”, he adds.
The pretexts, he says, include the Kalpasar project, a huge sweet water lake in the Gulf of Khambhat in the south of Dholera SIR, an all-weather port off Dholera town touching the Gulf of Khambhat, and now the proposed smart city in Dholera in the SIR.
“The farmers are adamant. They want waters for their agricultural land, come what may. The protests will continue till the Gujarat government does not begin construction of the canal network in the region”, Rabari says.“The whole idea is to divert Narmada waters, meant for irrigating agricultural fields, to industries”, he adds.

Investors wary of Dholera SIR

The protest is happening close on the heels of strong view among Gujarat government officials that it would be more reasonable to drop the plan to have a special investment region, including smart city, in the Dholera area.
State officials have reached the conclusion that, being a flood-prone area, industrial development in Dholera SIR is “not possible” due to infrastructure constraints.
Further, the officials say, the matter has been further complicated due to the Gujarat High Court stay on any land acquisition in Dholera SIR till further orders, following a public interest litigation (PIL) by farmers, questioning the state government's move asking them to vacate 50 per cent of their agricultural land for a Town Planning Scheme.
In such a scenario, a recent report says, the state government appears all set to revive the Mandal-Becharaji SIR, north of Ahmedabad, which was drastically scaled down from 42 villages to just eight, from 502 sq km to just 102 sq km.
Gujarat chief minister Anandiben Patel, according to the report, approved a new draft development plan for Mandal-Bechraji SIR with five town planning schemes has begun, with officials working out a new policy to woo farmers with hefty benefits so there is hardly any opposition this time.
The move close after the state government found that at least two top industries, Maruti-Suzuki and Honda Motors, along with their ancillary units have already come up in the region, with other industries lining up.

Comments

From algorithms to exploitation: New report exposes plight of India's gig workers

By Jag Jivan The recent report, "State of Finance in India Report 2024-25," released by a coalition including the Centre for Financial Accountability, Focus on the Global South, and other organizations, paints a stark picture of India's burgeoning digital economy, particularly highlighting the exploitation faced by gig workers on platform-based services.

'Condonation of war crimes against women and children’: IPSN on Trump’s Gaza Board

By A Representative The India-Palestine Solidarity Network (IPSN) has strongly condemned the announcement of a proposed “Board of Peace” for Gaza and Palestine by former US President Donald J. Trump, calling it an initiative that “condones war crimes against children and women” and “rubs salt in Palestinian wounds.”

Gig workers hold online strike on republic day; nationwide protests planned on February 3

By A Representative Gig and platform service workers across the country observed a nationwide online strike on Republic Day, responding to a call given by the Gig & Platform Service Workers Union (GIPSWU) to protest what it described as exploitation, insecurity and denial of basic worker rights in the platform economy. The union said women gig workers led the January 26 action by switching off their work apps as a mark of protest.

India’s road to sustainability: Why alternative fuels matter beyond electric vehicles

By Suyash Gupta* India’s worsening air quality makes the shift towards clean mobility urgent. However, while electric vehicles (EVs) are central to India’s strategy, they alone cannot address the country’s diverse pollution and energy challenges.

Jayanthi Natarajan "never stood by tribals' rights" in MNC Vedanta's move to mine Niyamigiri Hills in Odisha

By A Representative The Odisha Chapter of the Campaign for Survival and Dignity (CSD), which played a vital role in the struggle for the enactment of historic Forest Rights Act, 2006 has blamed former Union environment minister Jaynaynthi Natarjan for failing to play any vital role to defend the tribals' rights in the forest areas during her tenure under the former UPA government. Countering her recent statement that she rejected environmental clearance to Vendanta, the top UK-based NMC, despite tremendous pressure from her colleagues in Cabinet and huge criticism from industry, and the claim that her decision was “upheld by the Supreme Court”, the CSD said this is simply not true, and actually she "disrespected" FRA.

Stands 'exposed': Cavalier attitude towards rushed construction of Char Dham project

By Bharat Dogra* The nation heaved a big sigh of relief when the 41 workers trapped in the under-construction Silkyara-Barkot tunnel (Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand) were finally rescued on November 28 after a 17-day rescue effort. All those involved in the rescue effort deserve a big thanks of the entire country. The government deserves appreciation for providing all-round support.

Whither space for the marginalised in Kerala's privately-driven townships after landslides?

By Ipshita Basu, Sudheesh R.C. In the early hours of July 30 2024, a landslide in the Wayanad district of Kerala state, India, killed 400 people. The Punjirimattom, Mundakkai, Vellarimala and Chooralmala villages in the Western Ghats mountain range turned into a dystopian rubble of uprooted trees and debris.

Over 40% of gig workers earn below ₹15,000 a month: Economic Survey

By A Representative The Finance Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman, while reviewing the Economic Survey in Parliament on Tuesday, highlighted the rapid growth of gig and platform workers in India. According to the Survey, the number of gig workers has increased from 7.7 million to around 12 million, marking a growth of about 55 percent. Their share in the overall workforce is projected to rise from 2 percent to 6.7 percent, with gig workers expected to contribute approximately ₹2.35 lakh crore to the GDP by 2030. The Survey also noted that over 40 percent of gig workers earn less than ₹15,000 per month.

Fragmented opposition and identity politics shaping Tamil Nadu’s 2026 election battle

By Syed Ali Mujtaba* Tamil Nadu is set to go to the polls in April 2026, and the political battle lines are beginning to take shape. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the state on January 23, 2026, marked the formal launch of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s campaign against the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK). Addressing multiple public meetings, the Prime Minister accused the DMK government of corruption, criminality, and dynastic politics, and called for Tamil Nadu to be “freed from DMK’s chains.” PM Modi alleged that the DMK had turned Tamil Nadu into a drug-ridden state and betrayed public trust by governing through what he described as “Corruption, Mafia and Crime,” derisively terming it “CMC rule.” He claimed that despite making numerous promises, the DMK had failed to deliver meaningful development. He also targeted what he described as the party’s dynastic character, arguing that the government functioned primarily for the benefit of a single family a...

Search This Blog