Madhya Pradesh Villagers Protest Flooding From River-Link Project

Villagers in Ajaygarh, Madhya Pradesh, protested the Ken-Betwa River Link Project in September 2026 after rising water flooded homes and temples near Majhgawan Dam. The link is phase one of a plan to connect about 30 rivers, costing about $4.6 billion within an $87 billion national program championed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The proposed 2-km Daudhan Dam is expected to submerge roughly 9,000 hectares, including part of the Panna Tiger Reserve. The government offered at least 1.25 million rupees ($13,000) per hectare in Panna district, more than double an initial 500,000-rupee offer. District administrator Usha Parmar said over 90% of affected people had been paid. Bitti Bai Kondar said the government is taking land and water without another place to live and that compensation is not enough to rebuild lives; she stood knee-deep in the Ken with mud on her face and joined women on mock funeral pyres. Priest Dhaniram Bhatnagar said his submerged temple was his only income and home compensation is not enough. Himanshu Thakkar said feasibility rests on an unproven Ken-surplus and Betwa-deficit presumption. The government said environmental impact can be mitigated and pointed to Bundelkhand water, irrigation and hydropower benefits.