Wadhwan observes complete strike against land acquisition move

Saurashtra’s Wadhwan has become one more flash-point between agriculture and industry in Gujarat. Wadhwan which is located just beside district headquarter Surendranagar observed complete strike on Monday protesting against government’s plan to acquire huge farm land for setting up an industrial estate here.

Farmers alleged that survey of land near Wadhwan, Ratanpar, Malod, Vaghela, Kherali and Kharva village is going on presently and there is clear move to acquire huge land here for industrial purpose.

The villagers on Monday organized a huge tractor rally protesting against any possible move of land acquisition. Wadhwan city observed complete strike to join the protest.

It should be mentioned here that Wadhwan is not single case challenging government’s move to replace industry where there are green fields. In Bhal area near Ahmedabad, the government intends to setup Chemical and Engineering industrial estate. Farmers have opposed any such move. Lastly the government has taken a decision not to allow pollution making units here. In south Gujarat N.Vittal’s Vittal Innovation City couldn’t come up because of the protest by local farmers. While Sanand taluka’s farmers protested last year for days by not sending their children to school against land acquisition, the protest against Nirma plant over disputed water body is still going on and BJP has been defeated in Taluka Panchayat election there by protesters.

The state government recently declared new policy of land acquisition with incentives to farmers, but even with that, it seems the land acquisition of green farms for industrial purposes will not be cakewalk in near future.