Residents claimed that the move was yet another ploy to take over their land. (File)
Ahmedabad:
Fencing work on the open plots near the iconic Statue of Unity in Narmada District in Gujarat was stopped on Friday to facilitate discussions with local tribesmen who are against the move, said a manager.
People living in Kevadiya and four other nearby villages near the monument recently encountered police when fence construction began in the area by Sardar Sarovar Narmada Nigam Ltd (SSNNL), a public entity that built the Sardar Sarovar dam on Narmada River.
While the government claims the fence has nothing to do with the statue of unity, locals have said the move is another ploy to seize their land for tourism-related projects related to the monument.
The fence was put up in the villages of Kevadiya, Limbdi, Gora, Navagam and Vagadiya, said deputy collector of the Kevadiya settlement, Nikunj Parikh.
“We have only closed open plots of SSNNL. No one has been asked to leave even if he lives inside a fenced plot. We have covered enough plots so far. But we have work halted on Friday to start a dialogue with the tribes and raise awareness of the government package, “said Parikh.
The issue of land acquisition near Kevadiya has persisted since the area was chosen in the 1960s to build the dam.
While the SSNNL claims ownership of the land, the residents who live there are against moving elsewhere because they claim that they are the real owners and the government was trying to force them out.
Recently, the issue caught the attention of people and opposition parties when a video showing tribal women in conflict with police personnel during the construction of the fence in Kevadiya went viral on media platforms. social.
Parikh said the state government has designed a financial package for these tribes and efforts are being made to have a constructive dialogue with them on the issue.
