Ken-Betwa Link Project Explained: Why Are Tribal Families Protesting In Madhya Pradesh?

The Ken-Betwa Link Project, India’s first river interlinking project under the National Perspective Plan to enter the implementation stage, has become the centre of a dispute in Madhya Pradesh’s Bundelkhand region, where tribal families facing displacement are protesting over rehabilitation, compensation and land rights. An indefinite hunger strike against the project and other irrigation schemes entered its 15th day on Saturday, with demonstrators alleging that assurances given by authorities have not been fulfilled.

The Ken-Betwa Link Project aims to transfer surplus water from the Ken river to the Betwa river to provide irrigation and drinking water in drought-prone parts of Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. The government says the project will help address water shortages and support agriculture, while affected families and environmental groups have raised concerns over displacement, rehabilitation and the impact on forests and wildlife, including parts of the Panna Tiger Reserve.

What is the Ken-Betwa Link Project?

The project involves constructing the Daudhan dam on the Ken river and a 221-kilometre canal to transfer water to the Betwa basin. The dam is expected to affect villages in Chhatarpur and Panna districts.

The Union Cabinet cleared the project in December 2021 at an estimated cost of more than Rs 44,000 crore. The foundation stone was laid in December 2024. The government has said the project will provide irrigation to more than 10 lakh hectares, drinking water to around 62 lakh people and generate hydroelectric power.

The administration has described the project as an important step for addressing water shortages in drought-prone Bundelkhand and improving irrigation, drinking water access and economic opportunities.

However, opposition to the project has centred on concerns over displacement and rehabilitation. Many affected residents belong to Gond and Kol tribal communities whose lives are linked to forests, rivers and small-scale farming.

Indian Express reported that official estimates indicate that 22 villages will be affected and more than 7,000 families will be displaced, with 10 villages facing complete submergence. For many villagers, the dispute is not only about compensation but also about losing access to forests, water sources, grazing areas and community networks.

Why are people protesting?

The ongoing agitation near Kupi village in Chhatarpur district involves families affected by the Ken-Betwa project as well as the Runjh and Majhgaon irrigation projects. Protesters allege that rehabilitation measures promised by authorities have not been fully implemented.

The protest is largely being led by tribal women and is being led by Amit Bhatnagar, who has been on an indefinite fast. The New Indian Express reported that demonstrators have carried out ‘jal satyagraha’, ‘chita (funeral pyre) satyagraha’ and a symbolic ‘faansi satyagraha’. According to PTI, protesters alleged only one formal medical examination of Bhatnagar had been conducted during his fast.

The protesters argue that displacement involves more than losing houses and land. They say forests, rivers, agricultural land and community ties are central to their livelihoods and cannot be replaced only through monetary compensation.

Bhatnagar said, “People affected by the Ken-Betwa Link Project, as well as the Majhgaon and Runjh irrigation projects, had been denied justice.” He alleged that displaced families had lost their land, forests, water resources, livelihoods and cultural identity, while some had been subjected to false criminal cases, illegal eviction, disconnection of electricity supply and demolition of schools.

He has demanded that the administration stop intimidating villagers and publicly display the list of project-affected families in every village.

The latest agitation follows earlier protests, including a march towards Delhi that was stopped by police. Protesters had suspended an earlier agitation on April 16 after officials assured villagers that complaints related to compensation and rehabilitation would be reviewed. They now claim those assurances have not resulted in adequate action.

What does the administration say?

The Chhatarpur district administration has disputed several allegations made by protesters. It said the current protesters include 176 people affected by the Runjh and Majhgaon irrigation projects in neighbouring Panna district and are not connected to any displacement or compensation process in Chhatarpur district.

The administration has asked these families to return to Panna and approach the district authorities there for rehabilitation benefits. It said the state government has sanctioned an additional Rs 202.50 crore for rehabilitation and resettlement and increased rehabilitation assistance from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 12.50 lakh per affected family.

According to Indian Express, the administration has said more than Rs 700 crore has already been disbursed under the rehabilitation process. It has maintained that compensation is being provided according to the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013, including payments for land, houses and structures, rehabilitation grants and optional plots.

The administration has also said drinking water, food, healthcare and other essential facilities have been arranged at the protest site. It has accused some people of spreading misinformation about the project and said eligible beneficiaries would receive rehabilitation support.

Why did tensions rise at Daudhan village?

The dispute escalated after violence broke out at Daudhan village following a demolition drive near the dam site. Officials, accompanied by police personnel, arrived to remove houses and structures on land acquired for the project.

According to the administration, the action targeted homes of families who had already accepted compensation and agreed to relocate, along with vacant structures on acquired government land.

Chhatarpur Collector Parth Jaiswal said, “The Ken Betwa river linking project is underway. Our assessment stated that some villages will be impacted by rising water levels, so we undertook a demolition exercise on the homes of villagers who have already accepted the compensation and wanted to move out. We demolished a home with the help of police and forest guards. Some villagers conspired to pelt stones at police. Police are identifying the accused based on the videos and filing an FIR against them.”

Villagers alleged that the demolition was carried out without adequate warning and claimed that people were inside some houses when structures were brought down. Videos showing a tribal family among debris circulated widely on social media, triggering anger in nearby villages.

The administration disputed those claims. Officials said precautions had been taken before demolition and alleged that the visuals were used to create panic. The administration claimed that the family shown in the video had received compensation and alleged that artificial colours were used to suggest injuries.

The confrontation led to stone pelting, damage to government vehicles and a JCB machine used in the demolition exercise. Authorities later announced action against those accused of attacking officials and damaging property.

The dispute over the Ken-Betwa project remains centred on rehabilitation. The government argues that compensation and relocation packages can support affected families, while protesters say financial payments cannot replace forests, rivers, farmland and community ties that form the basis of their lives. With protests continuing, the unresolved question is whether rehabilitation measures will address the concerns of communities facing displacement.

The Ken-Betwa Link Project has been under discussion for nearly two decades, with the idea of linking the two rivers receiving a major push in 2005. The project was later included in plans for the development of drought-prone Bundelkhand and was approved by the Union Cabinet in 2021.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for the Ken-Betwa River Linking National Project in December 2024, which includes the Daudhan dam as its main component. While the government has presented the project as a solution to water scarcity and a way to improve irrigation in the region, concerns over forest loss, wildlife impact, displacement and rehabilitation have remained central to the debate.

The project’s progress now depends not only on construction but also on addressing the concerns of communities whose land and livelihoods will be affected.