Rahul Questions Ken-Betwa River Link Impact On Tribals, Pg8

Key Highlights:

• Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi raised concerns in the Lok Sabha regarding the displacement and rehabilitation of tribal communities affected by the Ken-Betwa Link Project (KBLP).
• The Centre acknowledged receiving representations on tribal displacement and forwarded them to the Madhya Pradesh government for action.
• Protests, including a 'chita (pyre)' demonstration in Chhatarpur, Madhya Pradesh, have highlighted alleged irregularities in the rehabilitation process for project-affected families.
• The Ken-Betwa Link Project, India's first river interlinking initiative, aims to transfer water from the Ken River in Madhya Pradesh to the Betwa River in Uttar Pradesh.
• The project involves the construction of the Daudhan Dam within the Panna Tiger Reserve, raising significant environmental and social concerns.

Detailed Insights:

• The Ken-Betwa Link Project is estimated to cost ₹44,605 crore and is designed to provide irrigation to 10.62 lakh hectares and drinking water to approximately 62 lakh people in the drought-prone Bundelkhand region.
• The project's environmental clearance was granted with conditions, including the state government's responsibility to implement relief and rehabilitation plans and comply with the Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006.
• The Daudhan Dam and its submergence zone are projected to affect a significant portion of the Panna Tiger Reserve, including its core area, impacting wildlife and forest ecosystems.
• The Ministry of Tribal Affairs is part of the steering and monitoring panel for the project, overseeing the progress of relief and rehabilitation for affected families.
• Tribal communities have demanded fair and timely rehabilitation and compensation, arguing that the project's benefits must be balanced with the rights of displaced populations.
• The project is a flagship initiative under the National Perspective Plan for interlinking rivers, aiming to address water scarcity and improve agricultural productivity in the Bundelkhand region.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Ken-Betwa Link Project (KBLP): India's first river interlinking project transferring water from the Ken River to the Betwa River to address water scarcity in the Bundelkhand region.
• Inter-basin water transfer: The process of diverting water from one river basin to another, typically to address water deficits in the receiving basin.
• Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006: A law that recognizes and vests forest rights and occupation in forest-dwelling Scheduled Tribes and other traditional forest dwellers.