In a landmark move bringing closure to a five-decade-long struggle, the Gujarat government has finally issued property ownership certificates to 173 families who were displaced by a devastating flood in 1973. The certificates were handed over in a ceremony this week in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
A Legacy of Displacement and Uncertainty
The story traces back to the banks of the Sabarmati river near Sarkhej, where the original Vanzar village stood. In 1973, catastrophic floods washed away approximately 70% of the village, forcing residents to evacuate their homes with little notice. The state government later rehabilitated them, providing alternative plots where a new settlement, aptly named Nava Vanzar (New Vanzar), was established.
However, a critical piece was missing for over 50 years: legal ownership documents for the land they lived on. This absence created a perpetual state of limbo. Without these papers, residents were unable to secure loans against their property, sell it, or feel a true sense of ownership over their homes.
A Long-Awaited Resolution
The ceremony to distribute the certificates, held on Sunday, was a moment of immense emotional significance. Among the recipients was Naran Prajapati (70), who vividly recalled the day of the flood. "I was about 17 or 18 and leaving for college when irrigation officials came and told us to evacuate. Within the next 2-3 hours, about 70% of the village was washed out," he recounted. Prajapati emphasized how the lack of documents had severely hampered financial opportunities for his community.
Another beneficiary, Pankaj Patel (60), who was a young child during the disaster, highlighted the prolonged community effort. "For the past 20 years, we were making representations to various authorities. We are thankful that we finally received ownership documents," he stated.
More Than Just Paper: A Matter of Dignity
The push for this resolution was championed by Vejalpur MLA Amit Thaker, who took up the cause of Nava Vanzar's over 3,500 residents with the district administration, state government, and MP Amit Shah. Thaker underscored that the certificates transcend mere legal formality.
"Having legal documents of property will not only help these residents to secure loans; it is a matter of dignity for them. They were living in houses they could not call their own," Thaker explained. The move formally integrates these families into the economic mainstream and provides long-denied security.
This decisive action resolves a historical injustice, providing not just property rights but also restoring a sense of permanence and belonging to the residents of Nava Vanzar, ending their half-century wait.
