Madhya Pradesh: Amidst protests, Ken Betwa project may begin this year

BHOPAL: As movement against the controversial Ken-Betwa project gained momentum in Panna, its

construction work

is likely to “begin this year”.


The district administration is working on the lists of the people to be served notices for the project. People in Duadhan where the dam is to be constructed have already received forest department notices, sources claimed.

Talking to TOI on Friday, water resources minister

Tulsi Silawat

said that “Process is on for early start of the project work.” “Efforts are on to start the work this year," he said.

He said that “Only 1925 families in 10 villages will be affected in the project”.

Meanwhile amidst raging corona virus scare, people in Panna have intensified the agitation against the project. It started again on March 29 when the chief minister spent vacations in Panna tiger reserve on the day of the festival of Holi when people raised placards carrying anti- project slogans. On April 1, the ‘rajmata’ of erstwhile Panna royals Dilhar Kumari raised the slogan as she stood in front of

Raj Mandir

, her palace in Panna with a placard saying ,” Stop Ken Project”. She has been involved in anti--project campaigns for the past many years.

Experts like

Himanshu Thakkar

of

South Asia Network

on Dams Rivers and People (SANDRP) said that “Several clearances are still pending". They include the wildlife clearance and as well as the environmental clearance.

When asked about the pending green issues and clearances, the Water resources minister Silawat claimed that “ almost 99 % NOCs have been obtained for the project”.

Silawat said that “ It is a Rs 35101 Cr national project involving two states” and "it would irrigate 811000 hectares of land ". He also claimed that the project would also make available drinking water to “over 41 lakh people.”

Silawat claimed there was no opposition of the project and

VD Sharma

, the MP from Panna-Khajuraho was working on the issue in Panna