Protest over compensation stops Ken-Betwa dam work in Madhya Pradesh

Several local residents displaced due to the Ken-Betwa Link Project’s dam construction in Panna and Chhatarpur dricts of Madhya Pradesh staged protests over compensation at the Dhaudan Dam site, halting construction.Protest over compensation disrupts Ken-Betwa dam construction in MP (Representative photo)The protesters were joined affected residents from Runjha Dam, Majhganwan and Vishramganj Dam, collectively demanding compensation of ₹12.50 lakh, following which Panna Drict Collector Parth Jaiswal imposed prohibitory orders to prevent others from joining the protest and initiated talks with the agitators.The protesters, led a local activ Amit Bhatnagar, reached the dam site on Thursday. The Sub-Divisional Magrates (SDMs) of Bijawar and Rajnagar tried to negotiate, but the protesters insed on speaking with the divisional commissioner.Villagers from more than 40 villages within the Dhaudan Dam’s submergence zone, including Dhaudan, Palkonha, Kharyani, Sukwaha and Mainari, raised concerns that compensation had not been dributed fairly.“Many joint families were being allotted only ₹12.50 lakh, despite promises that adults and children would receive separate compensation,” Virendra Singh, a local resident, said.“Despite signing displacement papers in good faith, the adminration has failed to deliver even a quarter of the promised amount. We won’t allow construction to continue,” Ganga Prasad Umri, another resident, said.The foundation stone of the project, which envisages channeling excess water from the Ken river in Madhya Pradesh into the Betwa—the first such initiative under the national river interlinking policy—was laid during a function at Khajuraho in the Bundelkhand region in 2024.Covering nine dricts in Madhya Pradesh—Panna, Tikamgarh, Chhatarpur, Sagar, Damoh, Datia, Vidisha, Shivpuri and Raisen—and four dricts in Uttar Pradesh—Banda, Mahoba, Jhansi and Lalitpur—the project is expected to generate 34 million kilowatts of hydropower and irrigate 6.3 lakh hectares of land annually.This is the second time in two months that construction has been halted. To prevent further escalation, authorities deployed strict security measures and checkpoints, particularly at Bhusor Naka within the Panna Tiger Reserve, to block outsiders from reaching the protest site.“The adminration is ready to provide compensation to all eligible family members, but the protesters remain unwilling to engage in dialogue,” Drict Collector Jaiswal said.