Surat: Faced with criticism and agitation by farmers and NGOs crusading for green environment in the city, diamond barons, who were lobbying with the state government for 2 lakh square metre of Navsari Agriculture University (NAU) land at Ghod Dod Road for the proposed Surat Diamond Bourse (SDB), have now decided to back off, reports The Times of India.

They have approached the state government with a fresh proposal for land at the ‘Green City’ to come up at a 1,000-acre land in Rundh. The diamond barons want a 3-lakh-square-metre land to be allotted there for them to build a world-class diamond bourse. A final decision is expected to be taken by chief minister Anandiben Patel on the proposal on Tuesday.

Last month, Gujarat Khedut Samaj (GKS) had threatened to launch a farmers’ agitation and Surat Nature Club, Life Cycling Green and Drashtikon had organized a signature campaign exhorting the residents to support the campaign against the proposal submitted by the diamantaires for the allotment of 2 lakh square metre of land at NAU’s agriculture farm at Ghod Dod Road.