Ahmedabad: Over 3,000 farmers voiced their
concern against land acquisition for industrial purpose at a
public hearing organised by civil society organisations in
Ahmedabad on Sunday.
Earlier on Thursday, around 1,000 farmers from Mahuva in
Bhavnagar district took to streets in Ahmedabad and courted
arrest, for opposing the land allotment to Nirma group for
setting up a cement factory.
The protest by farmers of Mahuva was led by ruling party
MLA Dr Kanubhai Kalsaria.
"The government, the industry and the people differ on
the issue. For people, it a matter of life and death," said
Syeda Hameed, a member of the Planning Commission who had
attended the hearing.
In fact, Mahuva is not an isolated case where farmers
have opposed their lands to be taken away for industry in the
state.
"In last couple of months, resistance is also building up
at Mithivradi in Bhavnagar district against a proposed nuclear
power plant, at Mocha in Porbandar district against illegal
mining of lime stone and against acquisition of grazing land
at Jharpara in Kutch where Adani group has set up a SEZ and
port," said veteran Gandhian Chunibhai Vaidhya.
Vaidhya and other activists organised the hearing for
affected farmers in the city on Sunday.
-PTI
First Published: Tuesday, February 09, 2010, 00:47