Farmers protest against Dholera Special Investment Region

Farmers protesting against the proposed Dholera Special Investment Region (DSIR) alleged here today that the Gujarat state government had resorted to anti-farmer tactics to acquire their land.
Farmers from 22 villages spread across Ahmedabad, Bhavnagar and Kutch districts, where the proposed DSIR is coming up, are up in arms against the Gujarat government for acquiring their fertile lands, which aims to convert Dholera into a "world class city".
"We are against the DSIR, but not against industries coming up. We have no problems with agro-based industries or tractor manufacturing industries coming up," Pradyuman Chudasama, a farmer of Bavaliyapur village in Bhavnagar district said.

Jamin Adhikar Andolan Gujarat (JAAG), which spearheaded the Mandal-Becharaji Special Investment Region (MBSIR), is supporting the farmers' movement against the DSIR.
Farmers said that there could be no residential or industrial development in the 10-km range of Velavadar Blackbuck sanctuary in Bhavnagar, but the DSIR is being developed here ignoring environmental concerns.
They also said that several villages have been removed from the Narmada command area, depriving many villages of Narmada river water.
Former Gujarat state finance minister Sanat Mehta, who is supporting the farmers, termed the state's move to notify DSIR as non-justifiable.