Pune: Farmers from Maval have decided to go ahead with their proposed ‘jal samadhi’ agitation on Oct 2, opposing Pavana closed pipeline project and demanding rehabilitation for those who surrendered their land for Pavana dam project in 1972.The protest is being organised by Pavana Dam-Affected Farmers Committee and Pavana Closed Water Pipeline Project Virodhi Kruti Samiti. The agitation will be led by Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana chief Raju Shetti and has received support from leaders across the political spectrum, the organisers said.The farmers have alleged that despite repeated assurances from the state govt and local authorities that no decision on the project would be taken without consulting them, attempts are now being made to revive the stalled project. The proposed project envisages laying a 34-km closed pipeline directly from the Pavana dam to Pimpri-Chinchwad to supply water while reducing pollution and evaporation losses from the river. However, farmers have opposed the plan, claiming that diverting water directly through a pipeline would reduce water flow into the Pavana river, affecting irrigation for small farmers in nearly 23 villages located along its banks.The pipeline project has remained stalled for nearly 15 years following the 2011 Maval agitation, during which police firing claimed the lives of three protesting farmers. The farmers are now demanding that the project be scrapped permanently.Narayan Bodke, president, Pavana Dam Project Affected Farmers Kruti Samiti, said 1,203 farmers surrendered their land for the dam project in 1972. Of these, 340 were rehabilitated by being allotted land in the remaining open areas around the dam, while the others are still awaiting rehabilitation. “We have been struggling for more than 50 years. The govt has repeatedly assured us of rehabilitation, but little has happened on the ground. The state govt has almost forgotten our sacrifice, even though we gave up our land and lost everything for this project,” Bodke said.The affected farmers are demanding four acres of land each—two acres in the vicinity of the dam and another two acres elsewhere in the district. Dnyaneshwar Dalvi of Pavana Closed Pipeline Project Virodhi Kruti Samiti said the farmers decided to revive their agitation after reports emerged that land required for the project was being processed for allotment to a businessman.“Three farmers sacrificed their lives around 15 years ago in police firing, and the govt is now trying to revive the same project. We had meetings with the district collector, PCMC chief, and mayor, while the chief minister also held a meeting on the issue. We were assured that no decision would be taken without taking farmers into confidence. However, after reports emerged that the process of providing land required for the project had already been initiated, we had no option but to launch the agitation again,” Dalvi said.The Oct 2 protest will focus on two key demands: the rehabilitation of farmers affected by Pavana dam project for past five decades, and complete scrapping of the closed pipeline project, Dalvi added.
