Over 5,000 Protest Against Vadhvan Port, Other Projects; Land Acquisition Camp Scheduled For November 2

Palghar, Maharashtra: More than 5,000 people gathered at Varor in the Vadhvan area on Friday to oppose Vadhvan Port and other proposed industrial and infrastructure projects in Palghar district, with speakers raising concerns over land rights, traditional fishing and local livelihoods.

56 Organisations Support Protest As Administration Announces Compensation Camp

The meeting drew support from 56 organisations and parties belonging to the Maha Vikas Aghadi. Separately, the district administration has announced a special camp on November 2 to assist Vadhvan Port project-affected landowners with pending land-acquisition and compensation matters.

The camp will begin at 11 a.m. at the Lokshahir Atmaram Patil District Planning Hall in the Collector’s Office premises, Palghar under the District Collector’s presence.

Opposition Leaders Address Varor Gathering

Friday’s protest brought together residents, fisherfolk, Adivasi groups and representatives of organisations opposing Vadhvan Port, the Essar project near Saphale and Murbe Port.

Maharashtra Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal, Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) leader Ambadas Danve, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena leader Raju Patil, former MLA Hitendra Thakur and Communist Party of India (Marxist) MLA from Dahanu, Vinod Nikole, attended the meeting, which began around noon. A substantial police presence was deployed in the area.

Danve said the concerns surrounding the projects went beyond party politics and involved the lives and livelihoods of local communities. He alleged that Adivasis and other residents faced displacement and questioned how much land would remain available to them as additional projects were proposed across the district.

He also challenged assurances of employment, asking who would benefit and whether the promised jobs could compensate communities for damage to water resources, forests and land. Pledging support for the agitation, he criticised the government’s approach towards corporate interests and urged the police not to act on behalf of contractors or political interests.

Sapkal announced the Congress party’s support for the opposition to the projects. He alleged that the Mahayuti government was disregarding local objections and pursuing policies that threatened the Konkan region.

Nikole called for the agitation to be intensified, urging participants to stop project-related truck movements and bring work to a halt from the following day. His remarks indicated the possibility of further disruption to project activity.

Participants expressed fears that the projects could adversely affect coastal ecology, fishing grounds and the livelihoods of local communities.

Camp to Address Pending Acquisition and Compensation Matters

The district administration said the November 2 camp is intended to provide project-affected landowners with guidance and administrative assistance at a single location, reducing the need for repeated visits to government offices.

According to the administration, compensation processing in some cases has been delayed by incomplete documents, discrepancies in revenue records, pending identification or recording of legal heirs, and a lack of clarity over individual shares in landholdings.

The camp will focus on completing documentation, verifying records, updating inheritance entries and clarifying requirements for further action. The administration said it was reviewing cases individually to facilitate transparent and timely processing of compensation and other admissible benefits in accordance with legal provisions.

The Prant Officers will examine pending matters in the Collector’s presence and guide landowners on outstanding requirements. Cases that can be resolved administratively will receive priority for document completion, record verification and necessary corrections.

Cases involving disputes over ownership, inheritance or apportionment that cannot be decided administratively will require further proceedings before the competent judicial authority. Affected landowners will be guided on the applicable process; attendance at the camp should not be understood as a determination of entitlement or a guarantee of immediate payment.

Landowners have been asked to attend with all available documents relating to their cases. Further information can be obtained from the relevant Sub-Divisional Officer’s office, Talathi office or gram panchayat.

The administration has also advised landowners not to rely on assurances from intermediaries or unauthorised persons and to seek information only through official government channels.

While Friday’s gathering highlighted broader opposition to the projects, the November 2 camp will focus specifically on pending land-acquisition and compensation issues affecting Vadhvan Port landowners.

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