Two tribal talukas face off in Gujarat over 3,000 acres, Forest Dept caught in middle

In Gujarat's Narmada district of Sagbara taluka, a group of tribal villagers are engaged in a sit-in protest to assert their rights to cultivate 3,000 acres of forest land in Umarpada taluka of Surat district. They claim they have been doing so for two decades, despite the forest department alleging they are ineligible. The situation has been further complicated by the rape and murder of a minor in June 2024, which has strained relations between the two villages.

The Surat Forest Department has erected a fence between the two talukas to prevent any violence, while police maintain a watchful eye.

Sagbara villagers are backed by the Forest Rights Act (FRA) of 2006, which recognizes land and resource rights of forest-dwelling tribal communities. However, Umarpada residents have also claimed the right to the land, citing their displacement due to the Ukai dam project in 1972. The FRA's eligibility requirements, including occupation of forest land before December 13, 2005, have led to disputes between the two groups.

A resolution from an old gram sabha meeting in Umarpada supports Sagbara's claim, but Umarpada residents allege the resolution was forged by Sagbara villagers.

Following the 2024 incident, the Forest Department took action, fencing off the land and accusing Sagbara villagers of cultivating it as "outsiders." In response, Sagbara villagers have sought legal recourse, including filing a complaint at the Gujarat High Court. Politicians from various parties have come to show solidarity at the protest site, including BJP MP Mansukhbhai Vasava, BJP MLA Darshana Deshmukh, Congress Legislature Party leader Tushar Chaudhary, and tribal leaders Anant Patel and Sukhram Rathwa.