Gadchiroli airport land acquisition halted, farmers call off protest

Meanwhile, Vivek Khobragade of Azad Samaj Party (ASP) alleged that Mahendra Bramhanwade, a leader of the Gadchiroli Shetkari Sangharsh Kruti Samiti, called off the agitation midway and asked farmers to disperse.

Khobragade further alleged that the farm leaders had been “managed” and that since they had obtained permission for the protest, the participating farmers had no option but to return home after the agitation was withdrawn at around 2 am on Saturday.

The protesters alleged that fertile agricultural land was being acquired for development projects and mining activities in Maharashtra’s Gadchiroli district by the government.

The major demands listed were:

* No fertile agricultural land in Hirapur, Shirpur Chak, Guruwala Rakhi, or any other village in Gadchiroli taluka should be acquired for the proposed airport project

* The ongoing land acquisition process for the proposed Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) projects covering 14 villages in the Bhendala area and 13 villages in the Jayrampur area should be cancelled

* Immediate measures should be taken to address the issue of wild elephants.

After the decline of Naxalism in Gadchiroli, several development projects have been announced in the district, including mining and the construction of an airport. The land acquisition for the same is underway since past few months under the MIDC Act. However, the farmers who do not wish to part with the land have objected to the same, with farmers of Konsari alleging that the land acquisition was done by presenting fake Gram Sabha resolutions.