Farmers dig in against Shilar dam in Karjat, plan to take demand to CM Fadnavis
Farmers and villagers from 24 villages and tribal hamlets in Karjat taluka, Raigad, will meet local leaders and then Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to demand the dam be scrapped.
Local people are strongly opposing the proposed Shilar dam in Karjat taluka of Raigad district. Farmers and villagers from the 24 villages and tribal hamlets whose land is being acquired for the dam have decided to meet leaders of Karjat taluka. They say they do not want the dam and will convey this to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
The farmers' campaign will end with a meeting with Mr Fadnavis, and they are holding meetings village by village for this. Their aim is to save their farmland and forest, and they want the Shilar dam on the Chilhar river removed for good. They will meet leaders of all political parties in Karjat taluka to make their stand against the dam clear.
Farmers of these villages and tribal hamlets have opposed the dam strongly ever since it was sanctioned. They have held agitations and taken out a large march to the Karjat tehsil office. Despite this, work to measure the land has been taken up.
The "Remove Shilar Dam" campaign will begin on October 1. Thousands of farmers from the dam area will reach Karjat. The first meeting is with MLA Mahendra Thorve, followed by a meeting with leaders of all parties in Karjat taluka. The farmers say they will not rest until all farmers affected by the Shilar dam project reach a meeting with Mr Fadnavis, climbing one step at a time.
The farmers will meet Mr Thorve and the political leaders of Karjat and appeal for their support. They will tell the leaders that they have the power to stop work on the Shilar dam until it is cancelled permanently.
The Shilar dam project is an important water supply project to be built on the Chilhar (Shilar) river near Kikvi in Karjat taluka of Raigad district. The Water Resources Department has given the work order for the construction to a contractor firm named Mahalaxmi-SEL (JV). The target is to complete the work in the next five years. Locally, farmers and villagers are opposing and agitating against the project to protect their land and the environment.
