Ryots stage rally against proposed jewellery park

More than 200 farmers of Ichhapore and Bhatpore, the villages on the Hazira belt, took out a rally on Monday to protest against the decision to set up a gems and jewellery park on their land. They demanded that the land should be returned to the original owners and submitted a memorandum to the district collector Pankaj Joshi.

The farmers, led by Janak Patel convenor of the Ichhapore Khedut Samaj, alleged in the memorandum that the land was placed under reservation against their wishes by the Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC), 18 years ago.

Though the land was reserved for setting up industrial sheds, till date no such work has been carried out.

GIDC is planning to sell the 1,100-acre land to Gujarat Hira Bourse (GHB) for the gems and jewellery park.

"Since no industrial shed were constructed during these years, we are using it for crop cultivation. Even today, there is a standing crop on this disputed land," Jank Patel said.

"We would not have opposed handing over the land for setting up jewellery park if we had alternative land. As of today, if jewellery park is set up, there would be no land left for cultivation for the two villages which are surrounded by industries, Tapi river, gas pipelines, railway line and power stations."

Patel said that the farmers had protested against placing their land under reservation 18 years ago. "But it was done against our wishes. All through these years, we have raised the issue with concerned authorities, but the government has failed to give a positive response," he added.