Bagli (Madhya Pradesh): The tribal community in Bagli threatened to boycott the Lok Sabha elections if, Koop village of Sewanyakhurd gram panchayat relocated owing to the proposed Hatpipalya Micro Irrigation Project. They also submitted a memorandum to SDM Anand Malviya at his office on Saturday.
While submitting the memorandum, the villagers warned the administration that they would boycott voting in 15 to 20 panchayats, including gram panchayat Sewanyakhurd during the upcoming polls if the issue remains unresolved.
Sarpanch representative Ramprasad Jatav said that the proposed project would lead to the expansion of Koop Pond, which would increase the pond's capacity from 2.33 cubic meteres to 64 cubic meteres. The Koop village would get relocated after this process, affecting the livelihoods of several people.
He added that the villagers were also about to boycott the 2023 assembly polls, but they voted after assurance from SDM Malviya and collector Rishav Gupta.
The memorandum calls for a reassessment of the project to mitigate the adverse impacts on Koop and surrounding tribal villages.
The protest garnered widespread support, with representatives from Guwadi gram panchayat and concerned citizens joining the villagers in solidarity. Their collective plea resonates with urgency, highlighting the imperative need for equitable solutions that safeguard the rights and well-being of tribal communities.
SDM Malviya stated that senior officials were previously notified of the villagers' difficulties at Koop village. The villagers presented a memorandum, which would also be shared with senior officials.
