Farmers refuse land for Karanji MIDC at Gondpipri meeting, say they will block survey

Farmers have said they will not give their farmland for the proposed Karanji MIDC in Gondpipri taluka. Land in 12 villages is due to be measured for the project, and the talk of it has left farmers uneasy. The government has moved a step ahead by announcing a rate of Rs 50 lakh per hectare. Against this backdrop, a joint meeting of the district administration, the MLA and farmers was held at the Gondpipri tehsil office on Friday (the 30th).

Farmers openly voiced their anger at the meeting. They said they do not want to give their farmland at all, so the question of a rate does not arise. They took a clear stand that they will not give up their land for the proposed MIDC.

The farmers also said they will not let those who come to carry out the measurement set foot in their fields. They demanded that separate individual hearings for farmers be stopped and a collective public hearing be held instead. They remained firm on this.

The district administration told the farmers present that, subject to the court's decision, the next stage of the process will be carried out after Diwali.

The Gondpipri taluka administration had called the meeting for a joint measurement for land acquisition in 12 villages under the Karanji MIDC. Administrative officials, elected representatives and farmers all took part, and there was a joint discussion among the district administration, the MLA and the farmers.

Those present included MLA Devrao Bhongle, District Collector Vasumana Pant, Superintendent of Police Ayush Nopani, Sub-Divisional Officer Akash Verma, Tehsildar Shubham Bahakar, Sub-Divisional Police Officer Satyajit Amle and Gondpipri police station chief Hemant Pawar. Senior officers of all departments also came with them.

MLA Devrao Bhongle said he is committed to the development of the taluka and that the taluka's development is possible only once industries come up.

Representing the farmers were committee member Adv. Sachin Fulzele, Maroti Bhoyar, Kamlesh Nimgade, Rajesh Kawathe, Sanjay Wadaskar, Suraj Madurwar, Raju Jhade, Madhav Ladke and Kalpesh Kharbankar. Office-bearers of the Kisan Ekta Kruti Samiti and the Audyogik Kruti Sangharsh Samiti also attended. Citizens and farmers from the 12 villages were present in large numbers.