ગુજરાતી
Dilip Patel
Ahmadabad, 26 July 2026
On July 21, 2026, Devbhoomi protested against the 100 kilometer 18-inch gas pipeline being laid by GSPL company from Wadalia-Sindon to Padli in Dwarka district. There is a lot of anger among the farmers of 39 villages. While the protests against power lines, Tata Chemicals and Wahai station were going on, another one started. This will release 30 lakh standard cubic meters of gas every day.
The pipeline starts from Wadalia village in Khambhaliya taluka. There was a clash between the farmers of Singhan village and the police. There was protest against the use of JCB in standing crops in the fields of Nana Mandha village of Kalyanpur. The last station of the pipeline is near Padli village in Dwarka taluka. Additionally, the line passes through the fields of 30 villages including rural areas near Mota Mandha, Bhatiya and Lamba villages.
About 1,500 to 2,500 farmers and land owners from 39 villages falling on the pipeline route are likely to be directly or indirectly affected.
The strip of land up to 100 kilometers long and about 30 to 50 feet wide in the plain is used for temporary construction and excavation. Considering the average width, approximately 300 to 400 acres of fertile agricultural land will be directly affected during the construction period of this project. After completion of the work, the farmer can take up only light farming or crops like cotton-groundnut. But putting up big hoardings, building permanent houses-sheds or planting trees with deep roots on that land is permanently prohibited.
The villagers uprooted the pipeline from the tractor and threw it away. In Nana Mandha village, GSPL destroyed the crop with JCB in the standing crop of gas pipeline. Work was started in the field of farmer Atulbhai Nakum without giving compensation. This is a violation of the rules of law related to petroleum and mineral pipelines.
An application was given to the Collector demanding immediate closure of the pipeline work. The work is being done without following the rules of the Gas Pipeline Act-2000. Project information has not been given. An order was issued to lay the pipeline by digging directly in the land without taking permission from the land owners.
Hundreds of farmers from Singhan and its surrounding villages were protesting together today to save their fields. No personal notice has been given to the affected farmers. Survey numbers of many farmers are not included in the notification and no survey has been conducted regarding damage to land, crops, boreholes, wells and other properties.
The process of determining compensation has not been done. Legal compensation is not being given as per the market price. Environmental clearance and public hearing have not been done.
Like ONGC, not just a one-time compensation, but a monthly or yearly rent for the use of the land and it should be increased every year.
Until the legal process is done or compensation is decided, the GSPL company should not be allowed to work in the fields and the company should also not be given police protection.
Police convoy was deployed. Police stopped the protest on the pretext of law and order. Due to which the matter became aggressive. An atmosphere of tension was created between the farmers and the police.
The company employees had to leave the ongoing work and run away. Company officials were seen running away to avoid answering the cameras.
Their agitation and protest will continue until the company or the government meets them and finds a right solution. If no right decision is taken immediately, then like Morbi, there will be more intense agitation in Dwarka district. In this regard, the district administration has accepted the representation of the farmers and has assured to take appropriate action as per the rules.
approval
On January 18, 2021, permission was sought from the Secretary of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) at the World Trade Center in New Delhi to lay a spur pipeline from Jamnagar to Dwarka (Gujarat).
Gujarat State Petronet Limited (GSPL) operates approximately 2696 km long natural gas pipeline in Gujarat. This pipeline covers about 25 districts of the state of Gujarat and the role of this network in making Gujarat a ‘gas-based economy’ cannot be ignored.
To increase access to environment-friendly fuel in different areas, it is necessary to build transmission pipelines across the state. But the BJP government is benefiting industries and companies at the expense of farmers.
Gujarat Gas Limited, which has been authorized to build CGD network in Devbhoomi Dwarka GA, Gujarat. It will supply gas to GSPL for its HP gas grid at Khambhaliya, Dwarka and Okha in Devbhoomi Dwarka districts.
GSPL is proposing to lay a spur-line from Jamnagar to Dwarka. The proposal is in accordance with the provisions of Regulation 21(3) of the PNGRB – Amendment Regulations of Bodies Authorized to Lay, Build, Operate or Expand Natural Gas Pipelines, 2014.
Devbhoomi will lay pipes to supply gas to different large and medium scale industries and industrial clusters in Dwarka district.
This will help in increasing the availability of environment friendly fuel i.e. natural gas in the district.
A fee of Rs 30 lakh was paid.
The Board was requested to approve the proposed spur line of GSPL from Jamnagar to Dwarka, which is a short pipeline off the main pipeline.
Group ED (Gas Business) Ravindra Agarwal sought approval.
Gujarat State Petronet Limited, India’s second largest natural gas infrastructure and transmission company, has built ‘High Pressure Gujarat Gas Grid Network’ with over 2696 km of high-pressure pipeline in the state of Gujarat. Work is underway to further expand the pipeline network.
Project Information:
GSPL proposes to lay a 100 km long and 18 inch diameter pipeline from Jamnagar to Dwarka in Gujarat.
Source of gas:
The terminals receiving RLNG from domestic gas source and LNG in Gujarat are connected to GSPL’s network.
Project time: 36 months
The project will be completed in 36 months from the date of receipt of all legal approvals. After approval, detailed engineering, route survey and tendering will begin.
(Google translation from Gujarati; view the original report in Gujarati at allgujaratnews/gj)
