Prime Minister's Office Seeks Report On Protests Against Ken-Betwa Link Project In Madhya Pradesh

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The reports about the protests that the Ken-Betwa Link Project has set off reached the Central Government.

The Prime Minister's Office sought a report from the state government over the agitations against the project.

The Central Government pays 90% of the funds for the Ken-Betwa Link Project, and the state government needs to acquire the land for it, but the agitation against it is deepening.

The government quelled the protesters, but they against began it. The evicted people began a hunger strike which entered its 11th day on Thursday.

Those who have been displaced from Majhgaon, Runjh, Naiguwa, and other places because of NTPC projects have also launched a protest.

A social worker, Anil Bhatnagar, is leading the protesters. The police registered a case against him and sent him to jail, but now that he came out, he restarted the protest.

The PMO sought a report from the state government about the reasons for the protests, wishing to know whether the compensation or any other issues enraged them.

The Central Government also came to know that a major irregularity took place in the distribution of compensation because of middlemen. So, it asked the state to send a report on this aspect, too.

The ousted people complained that affected families did not get enough compensation but those who were ineligible took the money.

In some cases, compensation went to the accounts of agents. The demands include allotment of three acres to the ousted families, to keep cut-off date until 2026, inquiry into the irregularities in the project, and a public discussion over the benefits and loss of the project.

Govt emphasises on Runjh, Majhgawan

The state government is preparing a reply through the Water Resources Department. In the reply, the government plans to show that there is not much protest against the Ken-Betwa Link Project. But the those affected by the Runjh and Majhgawan projects are protesting. The government is paying Rs 12.50 Lakh to each person affected by the projects. The state includes this information in the reply.