‘We don’t want to leave’: Why Adivasis are resisting the Ken-Betwa river link
Adivasi communities in Madhya Pradesh are resisting the Ken-Betwa river-linking project due to concerns over displacement and loss of land. Construction on the Daudhan dam continues despite local opposition regarding water and civil rights.
Why it matters
The project highlights the ongoing tension between large-scale national infrastructure development and the rights of indigenous populations.
Evening had fallen over Daudhan village in Madhya Pradesh’s Bundelkhand region. A soft beat of a dhol came from the distance as the dump trucks and heavy machines fell silent.
Inside his bakhri (mud house), Munni Lal sat chatting with his neighbours. About 500 m away, construction work on the Daudhan dam, across the Ken river, continued. The dam is the main part of the Ken-Betwa river-linking project.
rivers / Madhya Pradesh / Uttar Pradesh / tribals / water rights / civil rights
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