What happened
An indefinite hunger strike against the Ken-Betwa Link Project and other irrigation schemes in Madhya Pradesh’s Bundelkhand region has entered its 15th day. The protesters, mainly tribal women, say rehabilitation has been inadequate and displacement-related grievances remain unresolved.
The protest is taking place on the banks of the Barana river near Kupi village. The protesters have also used symbolic forms of protest, including jal satyagraha, chita satyagraha and faansi satyagraha.
Why the issue matters for UPSC
The Ken-Betwa Link Project is a useful case study for inter-state river linking, water-resource management, and the policy tension between irrigation benefits and the social costs of large infrastructure projects. It also connects to rehabilitation and resettlement, a recurring UPSC theme in governance and social justice.
Continuity and unresolved concerns
Related current affairs
- Activist ends fast against Ken-Betwa linking after 18 days
- Why are there protests over the Ken-Betwa project?
- Tribals escalate protest against Ken-Betwa river-linking project; demand higher rehabilitation package
- Police clear protest against Ken-Betwa, other projects in M.P.
- Hunger stir against Ken-Betwa Link Project enters 15th day
- Voices from Bundelkhand and the project area