Morbi farmers march to collectorate, demand 400% land compensation or monthly rent
Over 300 farmers from Morbi district and 50 villages from 12 other districts of Gujarat took out a 'padayatra' (foot march) to the district collector's office in Morbi on Tuesday, opposing the state government's July 4 notification on land compensation for transmission towers and cables.
The farmers, carrying banners in English, Hindi and Gujarati, termed the Government Resolution (GR) issued on July 4 by the Energy and Petrochemicals Department as 'invalid' and 'unacceptable', alleging that it favoured the company involved in the transmission project. At least 365 village panchayats have also opposed the notification.
The march, spanning 3.5 km, began at Mahendranagar Chokdi and concluded at the collector's office. Participants included a nearly equal number of men and women from more than 300 villages of Morbi district, along with supporters from other districts such as Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar and Vadodara.
The protest stems from the installation of a 756 kV double-circuit line by Halvad Transmission Limited, a special purpose vehicle of Adani Energy Solutions Ltd (AESL), on a 246-km stretch from Khavda in Kutch to Halvad in Morbi. Farmers from Morbi's Jetpar village had earlier called off an indefinite hunger strike but announced a 'satyagrah' as the third phase of their agitation.
In a representation submitted to the district collector, the farmers demanded 400 per cent compensation for the area occupied by transmission towers, assessed at market value determined by the Market Rate Committee (MRC), citing the strong electromagnetic field. For Right of Way (RoW), they sought 260 per cent of the market price in rural, nagarpalika (municipality) and municipal corporation areas, with the market price determined based on the specific area to avoid lower slabs.
Alternatively, they proposed a monthly rent for both the tower and the corridor, the cost to be set by the collector after hearing farmers' grievances. They also demanded that the transmission company pay for damages to land, crops and fruit trees every time damage occurs, and obtain compulsory accident insurance and medical claims for farmers. If the transmission line is installed for 25 years, the company must remove it at its own expense and be legally responsible for any loss caused during removal.
The July 4 GR had revised compensation from double the 'jantri' (circle rate) to double the current market price of the land. The final market price will be determined by the MRC based on a reference market rate and a lottery system.
Farmers' committees are likely to be formed at district, taluka and gram panchayat levels to plan further agitation. The farmers have requested that the amendments suggested by the Gujarat Khedut Chhavni be adopted before implementing the resolution.
