Sangnara village in Kutch, Gujarat, has been trying to save its forests from the wind energy companies for the past two years. Kutch has been designated as an important wind energy exploitation zone, and in the past few years 1000s of windmills have been put up by energy companies.
Sangnara village has organised a protest to stop Suzlon from erecting windmills in their sacred grove on the 6th of August 2021. They welcome support from all concerned citizens. -Yash - Let India Breathe
The Sangnara forest is part of the sacred grove that 5 villages consider as their places of worship. This is a 500 sqkm virgin Tropical Thorn Forest, perhaps the best in Gujarat with a huge diversity of threatened flora and fauna including Chinkara, Wolf, Caracal, Ratel, Hyena, Desert Cat, Indian Fox, Spiny Tailed Lizard, Desert Monitor, White Naped-Tit, Vultures, and many more. The communities have maintained and protected this forest for the past 500 years.
The first wind energy turbine was put up in the forest 5 years ago, by Suzlon destroying hundreds of trees, flattening hills to create access for the machinery, fans and transmission cables. All the birds and wildlife deserted the area afraid of the consistent noise of the fans and machinery.
50 more windmills were approved by the administration in the forest. The village Panchayat approached the Collector informing her of the rich forest on this Revenue Land. The Revenue officer (Mamlatdar) and the Forest department investigated and provided reports and recommended against allowing windmills, corroborating with the Panchayat that this is a rich forest. When the village did not get favourable responses from the local MLA, MP and administration, they approached the National Green Tribunal (NGT) that accepted their case. The case is ongoing.
Post covid, the past month has seen a renewed attempt by Suzlon to put up two more windmills. The village, including women and youth have been regularly stopping the company vehicles from entering the forest, which in turn have resorted to heavy police protection to deforest and continue their operations. The village has galvanised support from many social forums and panchayats who are angry with the rampant destruction of the Kutch landscape by these companies.
The village realises that this may be a long-drawn battle, but as Shankarbhai a village leader says, “The government and companies are already telling us we are obstructing ‘development’; soon they will say we are terrorists and anti-nationals!” And he laughs while saying this.
“We are not afraid as we are not doing this for any selfish gains; it is
for the voiceless wild animals and nature.”