Gujarat
,
Junagadh
,
Junagadh
Published :
Mar 2018
|
Updated :
Farmers in Gujarat's Junagadh Village Protest against Inclusion in Urban Area
Reported by
Aditi Patil
Legal Review by
Anmol Gupta
Edited by
Anupa Kujur
Households affected
5000
People affected
2008
Year started
55000
Land area affected
Households affected
5000
People Affected
2008
Year started
55000
Land area affected
Key Insights
Sector
Infrastructure
Reason/Cause of conflict
Township/Real Estate
Conflict Status
Ongoing
Ended
Legal Status
Region Classification
Urban
Ended
Sector
Infrastructure
Reason/Cause of conflict
Township/Real Estate
Conflict Status
Ongoing
Ended
Legal Status
Region Classification
Urban
Ended
1
Summary

In October 2015, 5,000 farmers from 42 villages belonging to Vanthali and Junagadh blocks in Junagadh district protested in front of the district collector's office demanding that their villages be excluded from the new Junagadh Urban Development Authority (JUDA). They also submitted a memorandum, which the district collector did not take seriously, according to the farmers. There was another protest in the same month where about 2,000 farmers gathered to oppose JUDA. These villages were incorporated under JUDA in 2008. They now essentially fall under the Town Planning Act, which requires farmers to hand over 40 per cent of their land for developing city infrastructure and hand over the remaining 60 per cent at a different location. The main reason behind the resistance is that people wish to continue with their occupation as farmers and inclusion under the jurisdiction of JUDA will automatically mean a deduction of nearly 40 per cent of their land. They also fear that largescale urbanisation will rob them off water, making agriculture next to impossible and leaving them with the only option of selling their land. In 2016, 33 villages were allowed to exit JUDA, leaving behind 10 villages that continue to protest their inclusion. In February 2018, around 1,00,000 farmers from different parts of the state came together to strategise ways to oppose their inclusion under the respective Urban Development Authorities. In December 2018, the farmers threatened to stage a protest if they are not allowed to move out of JUDA, claiming that their cost of living has increased owing to being classified as urban. The convenor of the Khedut Hitrakshak Samiti, Atul Shekhda, stated, "There are many farm labourers. They have to pay INR 1,0001,500 every month for electricity, which they cannot afford. They have also not been provided the basic amenities they were promised in return."

2
Fact Sheet

Demand/Contention of the Affected Community

Refusal to give up land for the project

Demand to retain/protect access to common land/resources

Other Demand/Contention of the Affected Community

Region Classification

Urban

Type of Land

Private

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

Whether the project was stalled due to land conflict

Source/Reference

Total investment involved (in Crores):

48.8

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:

Junagadh Area Development Authority

PSUs Involved in the Conflict:

Did LCW Approach Government Authorities for Comments?

No

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:

Gujarat Khedut Samaj, Jamin Adhikar Andolan Gujarat, Khedut Hit Rakshak Samiti

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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Author
Reported by
Aditi Patil

Aditi is a freelance development researcher. She has a Master’s in Development Studies from the Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India. She has previously worked with WWF India on forest-based livelihoods and international wildlife trade. She has also worked on the Forest Rights Act in Dangs district in Gujarat. Her paper, “Forest-based livelihoods, Malki practice and Forest Rights Act in Gujarat: The case of Adivasis in the Dangs,” has been published in the book, Adivasis in India: Livelihoods, Resources and Institutions, by Bloomsbury India.

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Fact sheet

Demand/Contention of the Affected Community

Refusal to give up land for the project

Demand to retain/protect access to common land/resources

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

Whether the project was stalled due to land conflict

Source/Reference

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