Surat: Local villagers and farmers from 77 villages of Navsari district took out a rally to the collectorate on Monday, protesting against the inclusion of their villages under the Navsari Urban Development Authority (NUDA) and land acquisition for four other government projects.

Hundreds of locals gathered at Modh Ghanchi Panch Hall before marching to the collector’s office, where they submitted a 47-page memorandum with demands and signatures. Farmers from 31 villages of Navsari taluka and 46 villages of Jalalpore taluka opposed NUDA inclusion, pointing out that most land was horticultural, sustaining small and marginal farmers with crops like mango, sapota, rice, sugarcane, and vegetables.

They highlighted that 41 villages fell in the Coastal Regulation Zone, where development was prohibited, and noted that much land had already been acquired for projects including the power grid, GETCO, gas line, bullet train, and expressway.

The farmers also objected to a Navsari Municipal Corporation town planning scheme under which 40% of fertile land would be deducted in Italava and Tighra villages. They demanded that canals, rivers, and lakes remain untouched, and that compensation for land acquired under power grid and GETCO projects be paid at par with rates offered for the bullet train and expressway.

They further recommended that the issue be raised at the district coordination committee meeting and taken up with MLAs, MPs, and the state government. Farmers warned that if their demands were not addressed, they would launch a non-cooperation agitation, following the path of Sardar Patel and Mahatma Gandhi. DeshGujarat