Pavana dam
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. “Three farmers sacrificed their lives around 15 years ago in police firing, and the govt is now trying to revive the same project. 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.
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. 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 protest is being organised by Pavana Dam-Affected Farmers Committee and Pavana Closed Water Pipeline Project Virodhi Kruti Samiti. The farmers are now demanding that the project be scrapped permanently. 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.