Farmer representatives of from several villages gathered on Monday at village Bhramanvada, Chanasma taluka in Patan district, North Gujarat, to protest against the refusal of the Gujarat government to provide them Narmada water from the canal passing through the region. Belonging to 24 villages of Chanasma taluka they have been petitioning the government and local authorities for irrigation water from the Narmada canal for quite some time.
“The area falls within the Narmada command area and they are entitled to the water”, said Sagar Rabari, president, Gujarat Khedut Ekta Manch, a non-political farmers’ organization. “They had issued an ultimatum to the government on Saturday saying that if the water was not provided to their fields, they would draw water on their own. The government, characteristically, remained deaf and mute.”
Amidst heavy police presence, the farmers set off for the Khorsam pumping station to lift the water themselves. However, the police stopped them. Farmers argued with the police and the pumping station staff. They were informed by the staff of the pumping station that a joint meeting was being held in Gandhinagar to decide on the matter.
The farmers decided to wait for a positive decision, declaring, if they were not provided with water, they would proceed to Chanasma Char Rasta and conduct a roadblock agitation.
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