Ken-Betwa river-linking project resistance

Notes

• The Ken-Betwa river-linking project involves transferring surplus water from the Ken river to the Betwa river via a 231-km canal to address water scarcity in the Bundelkhand region.
• The project spans 13 districts across Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.
• The Daudhan dam is the primary component of the project, located within the Panna Tiger Reserve.
• The project is estimated to submerge 10 villages and require the displacement of 12 additional villages to compensate for forest loss, affecting a total of 22 villages.
• Environmental impact estimates from a 2017 forest advisory committee report suggest the felling of approximately 23 lakh trees.
• Affected communities, particularly Adivasi populations, cite loss of forest-based livelihoods (mahua, charwa, tendu leaves) and cultural displacement as primary concerns.
• Current compensation guidelines for those 18 years or older include ₹12.5 lakh and ₹5 lakh per acre of acquired land, though many residents lack formal land titles (patta).
• Protests, such as the 'Chita Aandolan' (symbolic pyre protest), have emerged due to concerns over inadequate rehabilitation, lack of transparent dialogue, and the loss of ancestral lands.

Part of a longer story

This is day 7 of 9 in Ken-Betwa river-linking project implementation and displacement concerns, which has been running since 11 July 2026. Reading it whole is usually worth more than reading today alone — the exam asks how something developed.

• Protests over Ken-Betwa river-linking project Before
• Congress support for Ken-Betwa river-linking protest After
• The whole story 9 entries