Palghar: Tribals oppose land acquisition for Mumbai-Vadodara Expressway

Protestors have been warned against obstructing land acquisition or construction process. Pics/Diwakar Sharma

The tribal farmers of Talasari taluka in Palghar district on Monday (December 2) launched a protest against the land acquisition for the Mumbai-Vadodara Expressway, following which they were allegedly detained by the police. The protesting farmers also accused the police of manhandling them.

Shashi Sonawane, a land rights activist, told mid-day that at least three farmers, identified as Rupji Keshya Kolha, Sunil Diwal Radiya and Shawan Rawaji Kolha, were detained at the Talasari police station and were let off after six hours. However, they were served with a notice by the revenue official.

Meanwhile, the district administration has implemented Section 144 of CrPC within the boundaries of Kolhe and Talasari villages in Palghar in the wake of the protest. In an order undersigned by Satyam Gandhi, assistant collector, Dahanu division, the protesting farmers have been warned against interfering with or obstructing the land acquisition or construction process.

"There are significant irregularities and corruption in the land acquisition processes for various projects in the Palghar district. For instance, in the context of the Mumbai-Vadodara Expressway, the administration is forcibly evicting tribal farmers from their lands in the Kochai Gram Panchayat area of Talasari Tehsil. Tribal farmers who have cultivated these lands for generations are being deprived of their livelihoods. We urge the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes to investigate these matters and protect the affected tribal families," Sonawane, explaining the matter, said.

"The tribal population is being cornered in the name of developmental projects and policies that are pushing tribals towards destruction. Despite Palghar being a tribal-dominated district, proper legal records of the lands occupied by tribal communities have not been maintained. This has allowed many non-tribals to encroach upon our water, forests, and lands," the activist added.

"Basic facilities such as district hospitals, education, water, and irrigation systems are lacking in the district. At the same time, projects worth lakhs of crores of rupees, such as the Bullet Train, Vadhavan Port, and the Mumbai-Vadodara Expressway, are being imposed on our tribal lands," Sonawane further said.

Rupji, who led the protest, said, "The government officials are not giving us compensation, yet they are trying to acquire our land to complete the project. It was the reason we had been protesting, but the cops shooed us away and also manhandled us. The mobile phones of those recording the protest were snatched and damaged by the police."

Sonawane said they have written to Antar Singh Arya, the chairperson of the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes, requesting him to provide compensation to tribal families for their lands acquired in such processes. "Also, the central government should restore the geographical area of scheduled regions and ensure the land, water, and forest rights of tribal communities," underscored Sonawane.

When contacted, assistant collector Gandhi said, "There was a minor protest, but the issue has been resolved. We are giving adequate compensation to the tribal farmers after verifying the documents." Meanwhile, a senior officer in Palghar police said, "We did not manhandle anyone, nor was anyone detained by our police force. We were present at the site only to maintain law and order."

Dahanu MLA Vinod Nikole said that the land acquisition issue has been going on in tribal-dominated Palghar district for decades. "I learnt about the tribal protest in Talasari against land acquisition and requested the Palghar police to protect the rights of tribal farmers. I will meet the protestors, hear them out, and speak to the revenue officials to clear the impasse," Nikole said.