AHMEDABAD: The battle over compensation for high-tension electricity transmission towers has intensified into a statewide farmers' movement in Gujarat, with protests expanding from Morbi to South Gujarat.
The cultivators reject the State's newly notified compensation policy for private power companies.
In a major show of strength under "Agitation Part-3", nearly 1,200 to 1,500 farmers, including a large number of women, marched from Mahendranagar Chowkdi to the Morbi Collector's office on Tuesday, demanding substantial amendments to the government's compensation policy issued on July 4, 2026.
Carrying resolutions endorsed by 365 gram panchayats, the protesters submitted a detailed memorandum to the Collector, arguing that the existing compensation formula fails to account for the permanent loss of cultivable land and the long-term impact of transmission towers and corridors on agricultural productivity.
The demonstration marks the latest phase of a movement that began in Jetpar village of Morbi, where farmers initially launched protests seeking fair and timely compensation for transmission towers erected by a private power company.
The agitation had earlier witnessed a symbolic fast followed by a 19-day indefinite hunger strike, forcing the government to announce a fresh compensation policy.
However, instead of ending the dispute, the new circular has triggered stronger resistance from farmers who claim it falls far short of their expectations.
Farmers Reject Government Circular, Offer Three Alternatives
Leading the agitation, farmer leader Nehl Amrutia said the memorandum submitted to the Collector contains three alternative proposals seeking amendments to the government's notification.
The first proposal demands 400 per cent compensation of the prevailing market value for land occupied by the transmission tower base and 260 per cent compensation for the transmission corridor, with a uniform compensation structure applicable across rural, urban and municipal areas.
The second proposal seeks compensation under the provisions of the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013, under which farmers would receive compensation equivalent to four times the market value for both the tower base and the transmission corridor.
The third proposal suggests replacing one-time compensation with a licensing model under the Licensing Rules, 2006, whereby farmers and power companies would mutually decide the lease rent for tower locations and transmission corridors, with payments made on a monthly or annual basis throughout the project's lifespan.
Amrutia said these three options have been forwarded to the State government through the Collector and warned that if no changes are made, the agitation would be expanded across Gujarat in consultation with farmer organisations.
"The new policy does not adequately compensate farmers for the permanent damage caused to their agricultural land. We have given the government three practical alternatives. If these are ignored, the agitation will continue, and its future course will be decided collectively by farmers across Gujarat," Amrutia said.
Movement Spreads Beyond Morbi
Even as Morbi remains the epicentre of the agitation, similar resentment is now surfacing in South Gujarat, particularly in Olpad taluka of Surat district, where multiple high-tension transmission projects are proposed.
Farmers allege that the proposed power grid network will pass through fertile agricultural land across numerous villages, causing irreversible losses to cultivation and reducing the long-term value of their holdings.
According to local farmer organisations, eight major transmission lines of the Power Grid Company are planned through Olpad taluka, raising fears that large stretches of productive farmland could be affected.
The growing anxiety has triggered protests across several villages, with affected landowners accusing the government of prioritising industrial infrastructure over agricultural interests.
Surat Farmers Warn of Stronger Agitation
Addressing protesting farmers, South Gujarat Farmer Community president Ramesh Patel called for a united statewide movement, alleging that the present compensation policy overwhelmingly favours private companies while ignoring farmers' rights.
"The present compensation structure is unacceptable to farmers. Agricultural land cannot be treated as a cheap resource for industrial infrastructure. Farmers across Gujarat must unite to secure fair compensation for every acre affected by power transmission projects," Patel said.
He announced that farmers would stage a major protest outside the Surat District Collector's office on July 18, demanding compensation at four times the market value in line with the Land Acquisition Act.
Farmer organisations warned that if the government fails to revise the policy, the agitation would be intensified across Gujarat through coordinated district-level protests and permanent protest camps.
Some protesting farmers also issued strong warnings against the installation of transmission infrastructure without mutually acceptable compensation, reflecting growing anger in affected villages.
Government Faces Mounting Pressure
The expanding protests underline the mounting challenge before the Gujarat government as opposition to the compensation policy gathers momentum across multiple districts.
With support now extending beyond Morbi into South Gujarat and resolutions pouring in from hundreds of gram panchayats, farmer organisations say the issue is no longer confined to individual villages but has evolved into a larger movement seeking a comprehensive review of compensation norms for private power transmission projects.
As the July 18 protest in Surat approaches and farmer groups prepare to establish protest camps at strategic locations across the State, the government's response to the demands is likely to determine whether the agitation subsides or develops into Gujarat's next major farmers' movement.
