No, thanks, we do not want mining, cement plant here: Dr. Kalsaria

Vijaysinh Parmar
Mahuva( Bhavnagar district): The farmers agitations against the proposed one million metric tones cement plant and lime stone mining in villages in Mahuva taluka is getting stronger roots among the agrarian communities here. Once, the spontaneous agitation of farmers is now shaping sharply under the leadership of Dr. Kanu Kalsaria, sitting BJP MLA from Mahuva. Dr. Kalsaria, practicing general surgeon, very low profile and highly regarded person among the people in the reason irrespective of caste, religion and political out fits. In these days, he spends most of his time either in operation theatre or in farmland to understand the farmers’ problem closely.
“Government has decided to give about 268 hectors, waste lands, gauchar to proposed cement plant near Padhiyarka, Doliya and Vangar village. Also, government has given land from water body in Samadhiyala Bandhara to the proposed plant. There are other lands are principally approved by government to be given for mining lease to the proposed cement plant. The government’s move to give land to cement plant and mining will make things worst in the area and badly impact on ecological system of the coastal village. Also, we have seen that mining has caused severe salinity ingress in costal area. So, government itself built four Bandharas to prevent salinity ingress. Now this proposed cement plant and mining will destroy the actual purpose of the Bandharas in the area’’ says Dr. Kanu Kalsarai.
According to Kalsaria, due to Bandharas (Large size check dams to store sweet water) the farmers’s wells are recharged and they are getting benefits of it.
“We were waiting to complete the Bandharas so that we would be able to harvest three crops in a year. Now time has come that we are getting its result in once barren land now becoming fertile’’said Oghad Makwana of Samdhiyala village.
“Farmers, who have seen their bright future through these Bandharas came to me to seek guidance in this regard because they initiated the agitation. I traveled number of villages and met several farmers who are going to benefit from it. I calculated benefits from cement plant and agricultural growth through this Bandharas and I found that farmers’s future lie if cement plant and mining do not take place here. It is expected that more than 10,000 hectors land will be irrigated through these Bandharas. I am not against industry but it is in wrong place. So, I decided to be with farmers until desire results do not come’’ says determined Kalsaria.
Interestingly, Kalsaria, even sitting MLA from ruling BJP government has been determined to fight to save farmers livelihood and coastal villages from mining.
Taking a serious not from the agitations, government appointed a committee to study and submit its report. Meanwhile work of the proposed cement plant has been stopped.
“I know that what political out come might be from the party but I do not care as I am people’s representative. So, I will be with them whatever coast it may be’’ said Kalsaria.
According to Kalsaria, “We are waiting for recommendations of state government’s appointed committee. But in our part, if expected results do not come from it, then the movement will continue. We only want: no cement plant and mining in this area, nothing less than that’’ Kalsaria said.