EnvironmentGS-IGS-III· 1 min read
Ken-Betwa River Link Project: Tribal Resistance and Environmental Concerns
Why in news?
Rahul Gandhi expressed support for tribals protesting the Ken-Betwa river-linking project, highlighting concerns about its impact on tribal communities and the Panna Tiger Reserve.
Key points
- Tribals from 21 villages are protesting the project, fearing displacement and loss of livelihood.
- The project is expected to impact approximately 4.6 million trees and the Panna Tiger Reserve.
- Around 11,500 acres of land belonging to 7,000 families may be lost.
- Congress has pledged to exert pressure on the government regarding these concerns.
Background & context
The Ken-Betwa Link Project is India's first river-linking project, aiming to transfer water from the Ken river basin to the Betwa river basin to provide irrigation and hydroelectric power to drought-prone areas of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.
★ Prelims fact capsule
The project is estimated to cost Rs 44,605 crore.
✎ Mains relevance
GS Paper 1 (Society - Issues related to tribal communities), GS Paper 3 (Environment & Ecology - Environmental Impact Assessment, Conservation)