Chhatarpur: Villagers yet to get Ken-Betwa land acquiring information

Chhatarpur (Madhya Pradesh): Two months have passed since a notification for acquiring land for the Ken-Betwa link project was issued, but the villagers affected by the project are yet to be informed about it.

The residents of 15 villages, affected by the Ken-Betwa link project, have alleged that the district administration is arbitrarily working.

Led by a social worker Amit Bhatnagar, the villagers held a meeting near a cowshed in Kadwara village on Tuesday and voiced anger and chanted slogans against the district administration.

The villagers alleged that the government had issued notification on January 31for acquiring land for the project. Nevertheless, when the villagers came to know about it they met sub-divisional officer (SDO) in Bijawar. He is also the in charge of acquiring land for the project.

The villagers met the officers and complained to him about the alleged arbitrary manner in which the officials were trying to acquire land. The officer concerned, instead of listening to their problems, dressed them down. In the notification, it was mentioned that the drawing and plan of the land would be examined in the office of the SDO and land acquiring officer.

The administration has, however, failed to give any information about the drawing and plans to the villagers. The officer concerned visited the village on Sunday after the villagers had requested him for that.

Residents of different villages were waiting for the officer’s visit, but he went only to Kupi and Shahpura hamlets. Besides, he did not give any information about displacement and rehabilitation of villagers.

A 75-year-old villager Tulsi Yadav from Kadwara, 80-year-old Barelal Rajgond from Pathapur and 70-year-old Rupa Banjara from Dugria who attended the meeting said that their future is uncertain.

They said that they owned a piece of land through which they earned a living, but they had been deprived of that. According to reports, the land acquiring work has begun, but the villagers have not been informed about it. Bhatnagar said that after the notification was issued, there should have been Gram Sabha in the villages to be affected by the project.

He further said that he had informed the collector about it, and that the collector is very sensitive, so it is hoped the officials would discuss the issue with the villagers.

The officials, however, said that a Gram Sabha was held, but neither the Sarpanch nor other representatives of the people were informed about what the administration would do. Sarpanch of Naigua, Ramdayal Adiwasi, said that there was no information about acquiring land in the village.