Farmers in Chamorshi dig in against acquisition of 2,096 hectares for MIDC, begin sit-in at Yenapur

Farmers and villagers in Gadchiroli district's Chamorshi taluka have taken to the streets against the acquisition of land for the proposed MIDC. Since Thursday, farmers have been holding a sit-in in front of the circle officer's office at Yenapur. Their main demand is that the proposal to acquire a total of 2,096 hectares in Phase 2 and Phase 5 be cancelled.

The protesters say they will not end the sit-in until their demands are met. The farmers' land, their livelihood and their future are now in question. The sit-in has once again heated up the issue of acquiring land for the MIDC in Chamorshi taluka.

Farmers, landowners and villagers from 13 villages, including the Yenapur and Jayrampur areas, have come together on the issue. They say they are fighting for their rights in a democratic manner. Phase 2 of the proposed MIDC project covers 492 hectares and Phase 5 covers 1,604 hectares. The protesters' firm demand is that the proposal to acquire this total of 2,096 hectares be cancelled and the area kept out of the project.

Most families in the villages depend on farming. If the land they have tilled for generations is lost, the families could face a serious question of livelihood. The affected farmers say their future should not be put at risk in the name of industrial development. According to the protesters, they have no objection to development; their objection is that land is being taken while the rights of farmers are ignored. They appeal to the government to take the farmers' objections seriously and reconsider the proposed acquisition.

The demands of the sit-in include cancelling the acquisition proposal, reconsidering the related notification, and giving a written decision on the farmers' demands. The farmers say the matter is not only about land; it is a question of their livelihood, their families' security and the future of coming generations. All eyes are now on how seriously the administration takes the agitation by farmers of the 13 villages and what stand the government takes on the acquisition.

The protesters have made one more allegation. According to them, the farmers of Mudholi Chak No. 1 have not given their consent to the acquisition, yet further action is being taken in the process for those lands. Notices were issued on the assumption that an agreement by consent had been reached. The farmers have objected to this process and demanded that the related gazette notification be cancelled. It was said that an objection to the land acquisition process has been lodged citing a letter dated September 29, 2026. The farmers demand a thorough inquiry into the whole matter, redress of their grievances and justice.