Why are there protests over the Ken-Betwa project?, Pg14

Key Highlights:

• Hundreds of villagers, primarily tribal people, protested against the Ken-Betwa Link Project and two state irrigation projects in Chhatarpur district, Madhya Pradesh.
• The Ken-Betwa Link Project, India’s first river-linking project, is estimated at ₹44,000 crore and aims to transfer water from the Ken to the Betwa River.
• Protesters, led by activist Amit Bhatnagar, demanded revised rehabilitation packages and an updated eligibility cut-off date for displaced families.
• The project involves the construction of the Daudhan Dam and a 221-kilometer canal, impacting 14 villages in Chhatarpur and eight in Panna district.
• Environmental concerns include the felling of over 17,000 trees and potential harm to the Panna Tiger Reserve and its wildlife.

Detailed Insights:

• The Ken-Betwa Link Project is part of the National Perspective Plan (NPP), formulated in 1980 to transfer water from surplus to deficit river basins.
• The project aims to provide drinking water to approximately 4.4 million people in 12 districts of Madhya Pradesh and over 2 million in 10 districts of Uttar Pradesh.
• It is also expected to generate 103 MW of hydropower and 27 MW of solar power.
• Protesters demand that each adult be considered an individual beneficiary for the ₹12.5 lakh rehabilitation package, not just families.
• They also seek to revise the rehabilitation eligibility cut-off date from February 16, 2024, to the present.
• Allegations of irregularities in the survey and selection process for rehabilitation beneficiaries have been raised for both the Ken-Betwa and state irrigation projects.
• The State government approved an additional ₹300 crore for rehabilitation packages for the Majhgaon and Runjh irrigation projects, increasing compensation to ₹12.5 lakh per beneficiary.
• Environmentalists are concerned about the project's impact on the tiger reintroduction program in the Panna Tiger Reserve, which revived the feline population after local extinction.
• Endangered species like vultures, mahseer fish, and gharials in the Ken Gharial Sanctuary are also feared to be negatively affected.

Key Concepts Involved:

• National Perspective Plan (NPP): A 1980 initiative by the Union Ministry of Irrigation and Central Water Commission to link Indian rivers for water transfer.
• Gram Sabha: A village assembly comprising all registered voters within a panchayat area, responsible for local self-governance and decision-making.