A new year-end review by the New Delhi-based research group Land Conflict Watch has revealed that land conflicts across India in 2025 have impacted a combined area larger than the state of Sikkim, stalled investments worth over double the central government’s annual agriculture budget, and affected nearly 3.6 million people.
According to data compiled by the organization, which maintains a database of land disputes across the country, 179 land conflicts were documented over the course of the year. Of these, 66 conflicts began in 2025, while others have been ongoing since as early as the 1980s. The total land area affected by these disputes stands at approximately 730,000 hectares, stalling investments worth an estimated ₹3.6 lakh crore.
"The numbers only begin to tell the story," the organization stated in its year-end newsletter. "From evictions and demolitions to conservation-linked displacement, industrial expansion, and climate-related risks, the conflicts of 2025 reveal how land continues to be governed."
The analysis highlights that conflicts on common land—resources collectively used by communities, such as grazing grounds, forests, and water bodies—accounted for nearly 200,000 hectares. Conflicts involving a mix of commons and private land covered close to 500,000 hectares.
Sectorally, the largest number of conflicts were recorded under "land use," which includes eviction drives, demolitions, and climate-related impacts, affecting approximately 280,000 people. However, in terms of total land area impacted, the conservation and forestry sector had the highest footprint, affecting 8.4 million hectares and nearly 1.1 million people. The industrial sector impacted the highest number of people—nearly 1.9 million—with stalled investments reaching ₹1.7 lakh crore.
Among the major conflicts highlighted by Land Conflict Watch for 2025 was the demolition of 280 structures in Malvani, Malad, near a protected mangrove zone in Mumbai. The Mumbai Suburban Collectorate reclaimed nearly 10,000 square meters of land, citing constructions post-2011 based on satellite imagery. While officials stated that huts built before 2000 would be protected, displaced residents claimed they received no individual notices or rehabilitation offers despite asserting decades-long residence.
In Rajasthan, protests erupted over plans to develop the 100-acre Dol Ka Badh urban forest in Jaipur into an industrial zone featuring a fintech park, malls, and hotels. Locals, who use the regenerated forest as a common property resource, have demanded its reclassification as forest land. The project, revived in 2024, is proceeding without an Environmental Impact Assessment, triggering mass protests and detentions.
In a significant victory for indigenous communities, the Asian Development Bank withdrew a $434 million loan for the proposed 1,000 MW Assam Solar Project in Karbi Anglong in May 2025. The project faced fierce opposition from Karbi and Rengma communities, who feared large-scale land loss and livelihood disruption across 23 villages. "Locals alleged lack of consent, undervalued compensation, and rights violations," the newsletter noted, adding that communities are now demanding the project's complete cancellation and recognition of tribal land rights.
Other conflicts documented include the forced eviction of 43 tribal families for the expansion of Dandbose airport in Odisha, resistance to coal mining in Chhattisgarh where over 5,000 trees were felled, and ongoing coastal protection protests in Kerala's Chellanam and Kannamaly villages, where sea incursions have destroyed homes and displaced hundreds.
The review also pointed to recurring legal issues in these disputes, including the lack of Gram Sabha consent, inadequate compensation, and violations of the Forest Rights Act, 2006. In Uttarakhand, eviction notices were issued to approximately 400 Van Gujjar households in Nainital despite pending claims under the same act, highlighting what activists describe as poor implementation of tribal rights laws.
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