Ken, Betwa and a Line Drawn on Water

Why in the News:

Construction of the Rs 44,605 crore Ken Betwa Link Project, India’s first inter basin river transfer project, has entered a decisive phase requiring nearly 2,000 families across 10 villages to be relocated before river diversion can begin. The accelerated rehabilitation process has triggered disputes over eligibility, compensation, and resettlement.

What is the Ken Betwa Link Project, and what does it promise?

1. Origins and approval: The project was identified by the National Water Development Agency (NWDA), established in 1982. A Feasibility Report was prepared in 1995, the Detailed Project Report (DPR) was agreed upon by Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and the Centre in 2005, and the Union Cabinet approved the project in December 2021.
2. Core structure: The project centres on the Daudhan Dam, a 71 metre high dam on the Ken River in Madhya Pradesh with a storage capacity of 2,853 million cubic metres, connected through a 221 km link canal to the Betwa River basin.
3. Associated works: It also includes the Lower Orr Project, Kotha Barrage, Bina Complex Multipurpose Project, and the restoration of the Ken Canal System in Uttar Pradesh.
4. Projected benefits: The project is expected to:
   • Irrigate 9.04 lakh hectares across Bundelkhand.
   • Generate 130 MW of hydropower and solar power.
   • Supply 194 million cubic metres of drinking water annually.
5. Construction status: By February 2026, most heavy machinery had been mobilised, river diversion works had begun, and excavation for the Daudhan Dam foundation was about 70% complete, although the tunnel and Power House II designs remained pending.

What is the human and ecological cost, and how is it officially being measured?

1. Submergence scale: The project will submerge around 9,000 hectares, including: 5,258 hectares of forest land, 4,141 hectares of the core Panna Tiger Reserve and Around 2,171 hectares of village land.
2. Displacement scale: The Resettlement and Rehabilitation (R&R) Plan identifies 1,913 affected families across 10 villages, with a population of 8,339, of whom 33.9% belong to Scheduled Tribes.
3. Legal precondition: The Environmental Clearance granted by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) requires that all rehabilitation and resettlement measures be completed before the project is commissioned.
4. Compensation formula: Under the September 2023 Madhya Pradesh rehabilitation package:
   • Every adult member of an affected family is entitled to Rs 12.5 lakh.
   • A married couple is treated as a single family unit.
   • Housing assistance ranges from Rs 50,000 to Rs 1.5 lakh.
   • Each family receives a resettlement plot at Kawar Karondiya.
5. Official disbursement figures:
   • Chhatarpur: About 89% land compensation, 96% asset compensation, and over 96% rehabilitation payments completed.
   • Panna: About 90% land compensation and almost all rehabilitation payments released.

Why do official completion figures and ground conditions diverge?

1. Contested demolitions: Demolition of houses in Daudhan village began on May 13, 2026. Officials claim only vacant or already relocated houses were demolished, while residents allege inadequate notice and forced demolition.
2. Undercounted households: Several residents report that family members were excluded from official surveys, leaving them without compensation despite possessing Aadhaar cards as proof of residence.
3. Scale of unresolved cases: Officials acknowledge only 30 to 35 pending cases, whereas villagers estimate 100 to 150 people continue living amid partially demolished settlements.
4. Distress land sales: Families outside the formal acquisition zone are selling land for Rs 2 to 5 lakh per plot, often below market value, amid fears of post monsoon demolitions.

Does relocation replace what is lost, or only what can be priced?

1. Uncounted livelihoods: Forest based livelihoods, including mahua, tendu leaves, amla, honey, and fuelwood, supported household incomes but are largely absent from formal compensation assessments.
2. Resettlement colony shortfalls: The Kawar Karondiya resettlement colony lacks a piped water supply, forcing residents to purchase water tankers or travel long distances for drinking water.
3. Income collapse: Many households report severe reductions in income. One shopkeeper’s earnings reportedly fell from Rs 5,000 per day to Rs 300 to 400 per day, while some children have left school to support family incomes.
4. Partial gains: Some resettled families acknowledge improvements such as access to electricity, which was unavailable in their original villages.

Conclusion:

The Ken Betwa Link Project illustrates the challenge of balancing large scale infrastructure development, environmental conservation, and social justice. While official compensation figures suggest substantial progress, disputes over eligibility, livelihood loss, and resettlement quality reveal significant implementation gaps. The ultimate test of the project will be whether rehabilitation and resettlement are completed in both letter and spirit before river diversion begins, as required under the Environmental Clearance.