Families Affected By Ken-Betwa Project Continue Hunger Strike Over Relief Issues
Ken-Betwa project families protest rehabilitation concerns through hunger strike.
Protests against the Ken-Betwa river-linking project have intensified in Madhya Pradesh’s Chhatarpur district, with affected tribal families continuing their agitation over displacement and rehabilitation concerns. Activist Amit Bhatnagar’s indefinite hunger strike has entered its 12th day, while thousands of villagers have been protesting for nearly two weeks demanding action on their concerns.
The protesters have adopted various forms of symbolic resistance inspired by Gandhian methods of civil protest. Some villagers floated funeral beds on the Barana river to represent what they described as the loss of their livelihoods, while others staged a “hanging satyagraha” by placing nooses around their necks beneath a bridge to highlight their opposition to displacement and alleged neglect.
The affected communities have claimed that repeated assurances made by authorities, including commitments given in April, have not been fulfilled. Villagers have also alleged wrongful police cases and forced evictions ahead of the protests. They are demanding better rehabilitation measures and protection of their rights before the project moves forward.
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The Ken-Betwa Link Project is India’s first major river interlinking initiative and aims to transfer water from the Ken river basin to the Betwa basin through underground pipelines. The project, estimated to cost more than Rs 44,000 crore, is expected by authorities to improve irrigation, drinking water availability and power generation in the drought-prone Bundelkhand region.
According to officials, the project is expected to provide irrigation for more than 10 lakh hectares of farmland, supply drinking water to around 62 lakh people and generate 130 MW of electricity. However, environmental groups and local residents have raised concerns about its impact on forests, including the Panna region, which is home to wildlife including tigers.
Activists representing affected communities have said their opposition is not against development or the project itself, but against what they describe as inadequate rehabilitation planning. They are seeking guaranteed arrangements for housing, education, healthcare and electricity for displaced families. Chhatarpur District Collector Parth Jaiswal has maintained that relief and rehabilitation measures have been completed as per government provisions. The issue has also gained political attention, with opposition leader Umang Singhar meeting affected families and promising to raise the matter during the upcoming state assembly session.
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