An industrialist and five farmers signed an agreement with the resident deputy collector to relinquish their land for an approach road and a six-lane route, to set the ball rolling for Nano site in Gujarat.

Of the nearly 2.05 lakh sq mt private land that Gujarat government acquired for building the 1200 meter road leading to the Nano plant site, almost two-thirds belong to Chharodi’s Raviraj Foils Limited Chairman Ravubha Vaghela. Ravubha gave away 1.28 lakh Sq m of land(30 acres) on Sanand-Viramgam highway at a loss of Rs 18-20 crore for Nano project. All because his land provides direct access to the Nano plant site. Ravubha had brought the land to aid the expansion of his company.Now this land will be used for building approach road joining Ahmedabad-Sanand-Viramgam highway and Nano plant.

Ravubha says, “Land along the highway commands a price of Rs 1,700 per sq m, but I have agreed to give my plot to the government for just Rs 1,100 per Sq m. I have already signed an agreement to this effect.”

Ravubha says he could have bargained for a better price or even gone to court. “But this would have delayed the process and Nano plant could have gone out of Gujarat’s hands.

The businessman made the ‘sacrifice’ for the Nano project which he believes will transform the face of this area and boost employment.

“I am from the Rajput community, that believes in making scarifies for the good of others. My sacrifice is for Gujarat. It is for the farmers who will benefit largely from the increase in land price. Also, the government will develop the infrastructure and employment will be generated through the project,” Ravubha expressed his motive.

Ravubha Vaghela also played a role in convincing other farmers to hand over their land to government. Farmers Navghan Thakore(who owns 126 bighas along with his four brothers), Kanuji Thakore(former sarpanch and presently a member of the panchayat), Shamsher Khan, Mor Khan and Ratn Giri(who along with brothers’ families owns 10 houses along the road), Nazir Khan(Sarpanch of Chharodi village who owns two bighas close to the site)all of them sold their land to government’s Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation at Ahmedabad’s collector office on Monday.

Nazir Khan and other farmers distributed sweets, danced on tune of traditional Dhol and threw Gulal to welcome Nano to their lands. Nazir Khan said “We are happy to sell the land for construction of an approach road for the Nano project that will generate large scale employment and will transform our village. The infrastructure that will be put in place for the project.”