Sheva Koliwada Women to Block JNPA Channel Indefinitely From August 15 Over Rehab Issues

Rapid Summary

• The Sheva Koliwada Displaced Women’s Organisation has announced plans for an indefinite protest starting August 15,2025,to block the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA) channel.
• Protest aims to highlight unresolved issues concerning rehabilitation and alleged administrative negligence for families displaced by the JNPT port project in Uran, Raigad.
• Allegations include broken promises regarding resettlement land:

– 17 hectares initially earmarked in a government notification (1987), with 15 hectares later handed over to the Forest Department (2022).
– Claim of lack of legal documents for property rights affecting approximately 256 displaced families even after four decades.

• Raigad district collector accused of failing to conduct promised meetings or visit transition camps despite repeated appeals since June 2025.
• Residents raised concerns about:

– Legitimacy issues regarding Hanuman Koliwada Gram Panchayat elections involving alleged police intervention and manipulation.- Accusations against government officials targeting women’s water committee operations through defamatory resolutions passed under police protection (May 2025).

• Union Minister Sarbananda sonowal and JNPA Chairman reportedly gave unfulfilled assurances in early-mid 2025 on resolving land distribution issues timely. A May report acknowledged insufficient land allocation but saw no action afterward.
• Indefinite agitation warned as a “last resort” due to continued lack of progress on water supply, sanitation, compensation clarity, and basic amenities at transition camps.

Indian Opinion Analysis

The enduring grievances expressed by residents reveal deep-rooted systemic challenges surrounding displacement and resettlement.despite government notifications dating back decades and high-ranking officials promising corrective measures recently, key failures-such as inadequate rehabilitation land allocation and mismanagement of transition camp amenities-persist. These unresolved matters go beyond infrastructure delays; they directly affect socio-economic stability for displaced families who have been waiting years to gain formal property rights.

If the forthcoming indefinite blockade disrupts critical port operations at JNPA-a major hub-it could have widespread implications not just locally but nationally given its significance in India’s maritime trade network. Clear engagement from administrative authorities is essential; prolonged inaction risks escalating tensions further while also undermining public trust in governance structures responsible for managing large-scale development projects without causing undue harm.

Read more: The Hindu