Gujarat
,
Nalotha
,
Tapi
Published :
|
Updated :
In Gujarat's Nalotha, villagers protest allocation of pasture land for residential school
Reported by
Suchak Patel
Legal Review by
Anmol Gupta
Sourabh Rai, Amrita Chekkutty
Edited by
Anupa Kujur
21
Households affected
104
People affected
2024
Year started
59
ha.
Land area affected
21
Households affected
104
People Affected
2024
Year started
59
Land area affected
Key Insights
Sector
Infrastructure
Reason/Cause of conflict
Education
Conflict Status
Ongoing
Ended
Legal Status
Region Classification
Rural
Ended
Sector
Infrastructure
Reason/Cause of conflict
Education
Conflict Status
Ongoing
Ended
Legal Status
Region Classification
Rural
Ended
1
Summary

In Gujarat's Valod taluka, residents of Nalotha village strongly opposed the government’s decision to allocate grazing land for the construction of Aadarsh residential school. In November 2024, villagers submitted a petition to Mamlatdar Tejalben Patel, urging authorities to reconsider the decision.

According to the complaint, a copy of which is with LCW, the villagers stated that the disputed land, located in Block No. 14 with survey No. 163, spans 59,400 square meters and is a designated pasture area. They claimed that the land allocated for the school, documented under village sample note numbers 1412 and 1420, includes their traditional grazing grounds. And demanded the cancellation of the project.

The villagers further argued that the plot of land is vital for grazing livestock, such as cows and buffaloes, which support the livelihoods of local cattle breeders.

Mamlatdar Tejalben Patel assured the villagers that their concerns would be forwarded to higher authorities for review. Patel further clarified that the land allocation had been approved by the village Sarpanch and Gram Panchayat through resolutions passed in previous years. However, villagers argued that they were not adequately consulted about this decision.

“This pasture land is crucial for our animals. Its loss will directly affect our livelihoods and disrupt our traditional way of life,” a villager said during the meeting.

Following this, the Mamlatdar wrote a letter to the Collector and informed the officer about the situation. Meanwhile, the villagers await

The protest highlights the growing tension between development initiatives and the preservation of common resources in rural areas. While the government sees the residential school as a step toward improving educational infrastructure, the villagers contend that it comes at the expense of their agrarian lifestyle.

2
Fact Sheet

Demand/Contention of the Affected Community

Demand to cancel the project

Other Demand/Contention of the Affected Community

Region Classification

Rural

Type of Land

Common

Non-Forest (Grazing Land)

What was the action taken by the police?

How many people did the police detain or arrest?

What is the current status of the detained/accused persons?

Did the person face any violence while in police custody?

If any arrests took place, were the accused persons produced before a judge within 24 hours of the arrest?

If the accused was not produced before a magistrate within 24 hours, or not produced at all, what were the reasons?

Legislation under which the accused was charged

Was the accused person informed of their right to legal representation? Did the accused person have access to legal aid?

In cases where the accused person approached the court for bail, was bail granted?

Why was bail granted or rejected? If granted, what were the bail conditions and quantum of bail?

Were there any other notable irregularities that took place, or other significant details?

Details of sources (names of accused, names and numbers of any lawyers, names of any police officers contacted)

Status of Project

Original Project Deadline

Whether the Project has been Delayed

Significance of Land to Land Owners/Users

Grazing

Whether the project was stalled due to land conflict

Source/Reference

Total investment involved (in Crores):

Type of investment:

Year of Estimation

Page Number In Investment Document:

Has the Conflict Ended?

No

When did it end?

Why did the conflict end?

4
Additional Information

Government Departments Involved in the Conflict:

PSUs Involved in the Conflict:

Did LCW Approach Government Authorities for Comments?

Name, Designation and Comment of the Government Authorities Approached

Corporate Parties Involved in the Conflict:

Did LCW Approach Corporate Parties for Comments?

Communities/Local Organisations in the Conflict:

5
Information on the use of criminal law

What was the action taken by the police?

How many people did the police detain or arrest?

What is the current status of the detained/accused persons?

Did the person face any violence while in police custody?

If any arrests took place, were the accused persons produced before a judge within 24 hours of the arrest?

If the accused was not produced before a magistrate within 24 hours, or not produced at all, what were the reasons?

Legislation under which the accused was charged

Was the accused person informed of their right to legal representation? Did the accused person have access to legal aid?

In cases where the accused person approached the court for bail, was bail granted?

Why was bail granted or rejected? If granted, what were the bail conditions and quantum of bail?

Were there any other notable irregularities that took place, or other significant details?

Legal Supporting Documents

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Fact sheet

Demand/Contention of the Affected Community

Demand to cancel the project

If any arrests took place, were the accused persons produced before a judge within 24 hours of the arrest?

Was the accused person informed of their right to legal representation? Did the accused person have access to legal aid?

In cases where the accused person approached the court for bail, was bail granted?

Why was bail granted or rejected? If granted, what were the bail conditions and quantum of bail?

Were there any other notable irregularities that took place, or other significant details?

Status of Project

Original Project Deadline

Whether the Project has been Delayed

Significance of Land to Land Owners/Users

Grazing

Whether the project was stalled due to land conflict

Source/Reference

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