Why do people protest against India’s ambitious water project

Thousands of peasants in the Central Indian state of Madheh Pradesh protest against a multimillion -dollar river connecting project, which, in their view, will rob them of their homes and livelihood.

The Ken-Betwa Project, with a Budget of 440bn Rupees ($ 5.06bn; £ 4.05BN), Will Channel Excess Water from the Ken River in Madhya Pradesh to the Betwa in the Neigh Network of Tunnels, Canals and Dam.

This is the first of 16 such projects for connecting the river, intended under the national plan for the perspective of India for the development of water resources in the 1980s. The plan faces a number of delays – mainly due to environmental concerns and political disputes – before the government cleared it in 2021.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for his construction last December.

The project is believed to help the predispositions to the Bundelhand region – which includes parts of Madhey Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh – where dry climate and unpredictable rainfall have led to a decades of poverty and underdevelopment.

The government says that once it is completed in 2030, it will help to irrigate 1.06 million hectares of land, provide drinking water to 6.2 million people, and generate 130mW hydropower and solar energy.

But at least 10 villages, including huge parts of precious forest lands, will be submerged to build the dam tank and 11 more villages will be displaced for the construction of the channel affecting more than 7,000 families, district officials say.

“Our livelihood is bound by this land – we do not know what the future is for us,” said Tulsi Adivasi, who is among the thousands of peasants who protest against the project.

Most of them belong to the local Gond and Kol tribes, who live on the edge of the forests and depend on farming for food.

Environment experts warn that the project will sink nearly 98 square km (38 square miles) from the Pan Tiger Reserve, a 543 square km sanctuary, which successfully returned the tigers from the local disappearance in 2009.

This may cancel years of conservation effort. “It is unprecedented. We have never seen the main area of ​​a national park used for such a large -scale infrastructure project,” says environmentalist Amit Bhattagar.

In 2019, an expert made up of the best court in India also expressed concerns about the project, questioning its economic viability and impact on the wild in the region. According to him, the government should explore alternative methods of irrigation in the river pool.

Independent studies on river connection projects in India have made similar observations.

Study 2023 published The Nature Communications magazine states that such endeavors “can worsen water stress throughout the country, which makes these projects ineffective or possibly even counterproductive.”

However, Baleshwar Thakur, which led the National Water Development Agency, defended the project, stating that the authorities had conducted in -depth research and acquired all environmental permits for the project.

“We have also identified additional land to compensate for the loss of tiger habitats and we will rehabilitate other species affected by the project,” he said.

The government official acknowledged that there would be a potential “challenge” for the biodiversity of the region, but said “the benefits of the project exceed adverse effects.”

The assurances have made a little to comfort the peasants.

At the heart of Daudhan, 48-year-old Mahesh Adivasi was sitting with a group of men who disagreed in the form of a protest song.

“The Ken-Pabow Dam was built by the government, it gives the other water, but it drowns us,” they sang, the texts capture their grief.

The village is one of the most overwhelming areas in the region, missing major facilities such as clean drinking water and electricity.

The bitter irony of the river project is not lost by their people – they ask why they were asked to abandon their homes to provide electricity in 13 other areas when their own village never had power.

“We saw generations go without progress. Now, we are asked to sacrifice our lives for the progress of others. What about us?” Mahesh Adivasi said.

The government has proposed to the peasants an optional compensation plan where they can either choose a piece of land, together with 750,000 rupees ($ 8,655; 6,842 British pounds) or a one -time payment of 1 250 000 rupees. For those who own land, an additional amount will be given based on the value of the land.

G -N Takur said about 90% of people chose to take a lump sum. “Meanwhile, the government has begun to seek an alternative state land to move the peasants,” he added.

But locals say the amount offered is insufficient. Tulsi Adivasi showed the BBC Hindi Government Notice, which estimated his house at 46,000 rupees.

“Can a house be built with so much money?” he asked.

Others complain that they have not been informed when they have to evacuate or where they will be displaced, feeding the concerns about their future.

“The project was supposed to be a blessing for our village, but the truth is that it will immerse us further in the dark,” says the 20 -year -old Lakshmi Adivasi.

The claim is also raised that the project aims to direct excess water from the Ken River.

Critics say the government has relied on outdated data since 2003, without an independent inspection to calculate the annual river profitability.

D -Takur denied the claim and stated that the authorities “have all the data to continue the project.”

G -n Bhatnagar, the environmentalist, said that by continuing with the project, the government defines a “dangerous precedent” for such development programs that should be held in other geologically sensitive areas.

“And for those affected, he again emphasizes how development in India often comes with the price of the most marginalized,” he added.

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