Why Adivasis are resisting the Ken-Betwa river-linking project, PgII

Key Highlights:

• The Ken-Betwa river-linking project faces strong resistance from Adivasi communities in Madhya Pradesh's Bundelkhand region.
• The project, approved by the Union Cabinet in 2021, aims to transfer 'surplus' water from the Ken to the Betwa river for irrigation and drinking.
• Construction of the Daudhan dam, central to the project, will submerge 10 villages and displace residents from 12 other villages within the Panna Tiger Reserve.
• Adivasi women are leading the Chita Aandolan (symbolic pyre protest) against displacement, loss of land, forests, and cultural identity.
• Villagers are demanding fair rehabilitation, including land for land, a village for a village, and adequate compensation, citing the felling of an estimated 23 lakh trees.

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Detailed Insights:

• The Ken-Betwa river-linking project involves a 231-km-long canal to connect the two rivers, originating in the Vindhyas.
• The Bundelkhand region, spanning 13 districts in Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, is known for its water scarcity and poverty.
• Affected Adivasi communities, including the Gond, emphasize the cultural and spiritual loss of their "janam bhoomi" (birthplace) and "Dharti Mata" (Mother Earth).
• Many Adivasi families do not possess patta land, making the proposed monetary compensation of ₹12.5 lakh per individual and ₹5 lakh per acre inadequate for their traditional land use.
• The Chita Aandolan gained national attention in April and July, with villagers protesting against alleged police force and house demolitions without proper notice.
• Demands from the protestors include a joint survey of land and houses, ₹25 lakh compensation per individual, and three acres of land jointly in the names of male and female family heads.
• Environmental concerns include the significant deforestation within the Panna Tiger Reserve, a critical habitat for wildlife.
• Activists like Medha Patkar of the Narmada Bachao Andolan have highlighted the severe economic and social consequences for forest-dwelling communities.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Ken-Betwa river-linking project: A national project to interlink rivers for water resource management, aiming to address water scarcity in specific regions.
• Panna Tiger Reserve: A protected area in Madhya Pradesh, significant for tiger conservation, facing ecological impact from the river-linking project.
• Displacement and Rehabilitation: The process of relocating communities due to development projects and providing them with alternative livelihoods and housing.
• Adivasi Rights: Constitutional and legal rights protecting indigenous communities' land, forest, and cultural heritage, often challenged by large-scale development.