Congress alleges irregularities in gram sabha approvals for Ken-Betwa project
Opposition leaders in India are alleging corruption and procedural irregularities in the land acquisition and compensation process for the Ken-Betwa river project. Local tribal residents are protesting the project, citing fraudulent payments and a lack of proper gram sabha consultation.
Why it matters
The project highlights the ongoing tension between large-scale national infrastructure development and the rights and livelihoods of indigenous communities.
The project has also faced criticism for allegedly damaging local ecology and wildlife, as a large part of it falls inside the Panna National Park and Tiger Reserve.
Leader of the Opposition in the State Assembly Umang Singhar, who visited the ongoing protest site in Chhatarpur on July 14, alleged corruption worth crores in the distribution of compensation and in awarding contracts to companies, which, he claimed, had made donations to the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party through electoral bonds. He also sought an independent investigation into the alleged irregularities.
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