Agaria

The Aghariya, or Agariya is a title of Chunvalia Kolis who are salt farmers in Kutch district of Gujarat, India.[1] in 2019, Koli Agariyas faced the great loss of salt trade because of the trade war between China and the United States of America.[2]

They produce the 30% of the salt of all of India.[3][4] they were listed as a Criminal Tribe under the Criminal Tribes Act of 1871 by British Indian government because of their rebellions against British rule in India.[5]

The Aghariya's were landowners of the land of Little Rann of Kutch but in 1978 this area was declared as Wild Ass Sanctuary by Government of Gujarat and their lands were captured by Gujarat government.[6] The Aghariya's demanding recognition as farmers and an assurance that they have a legal right on Little Rann of Kutch land for salt farming to get the benefit like agriculture farmers such as money package and relief for natural calamities like flood.[7]

  1. ^ Chandra, Kavita Kanan (24 February 2017). "The salt farmers of wild ass country". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 23 July 2022.
  2. ^ "Gujarat Salt Industry Hit By US-China Trade War". Forbes India. Retrieved 23 July 2022.
  3. ^ Kaur, Ravleen. "Gujarat's plan to build Asia's biggest freshwater lake is a threat to Agariya salt workers". Scroll.in. Retrieved 23 July 2022.
  4. ^ Schooneveld, Inge van (15 February 2018). "The salt farmers of Little Ran of Kutch". Sinchi Foundation. Retrieved 23 July 2022.
  5. ^ "Education in the Desert: Field Notes from the Little Rann of Kutch, Gujarat - Bhavna Harchandani". Doing Sociology. 10 April 2022. Retrieved 23 July 2022.
  6. ^ Deepak, Sharanya. "Will election change fate of the Agariyas of Gujarat?". www.aljazeera.com. Retrieved 23 July 2022.
  7. ^ "Research sweetens deal for saltpan workers". The Indian Express. 26 July 2011. Retrieved 8 October 2022.