In Bothi, a small tribal village in Madhya Pradesh’s Harda district, children play barefoot in the mud outside their school, their laughter carrying across the fields. Few of them know the classrooms they run through each day may soon disappear. Under the planned Morand–Ganjal dam project, Bothi and 18 neighbouring villages face submergence.
Sitting on the threshold of her mud home, 40-year-old Budiya Bai watches the children and speaks quietly. “These children are our future,” she says. “If the dam is built, the school, our houses, and our farms will all be lost. We are Korku tribals — the forest and the land are our life.”
Thousands of Adivasis in Madhya Pradesh’s Harda and Narmadapuram (formerly Hoshangabad) districts are caught between two crises. One threatens to drown their homes and fields under the Morand–Ganjal dam. The other could strip them of their livelihoods with the proposed Dr Rajendra Prasad Sanctuary in Rahatgaon
Ground Report visited villages hit by both projects, speaking with residents, activists and officials to understand the crisis. The Adivasis’ demand is straightforward: either halt the projects or guarantee them land-for-land compensation equal to what they stand to lose.
Flooded Futures
The Morand–Ganjal dam project, conceived in 1972 and now moving forward with a ₹2,813 crore budget, promises irrigation for 52,000 hectares across Harda, Narmadapuram, Khandwa, and Betul districts. But the human and ecological cost is staggering: more than four lakh trees will be cut, 2,250 hectares of forest and 18 villages will be submerged, and thousands of Korku tribal families face displacement.
In Bothi village, Santosh Kajle, who holds forest rights to four hectares, asks, “Our village already has wells and crops grow well. Who will benefit from the dam? Our homes, school, and fields will be lost.” Youth activist Ramprasad adds, “If our land goes, we will also be finished. We are incomplete without the forest.” Beyond human settlements, the area forms a critical tiger corridor linking Satpura and Melghat reserves. The National Tiger Conservation Authority warned in February 2025 that the project could devastate biodiversity. Environmentalist Ajay Dube stresses, “Tiger corridors don’t just give passage to tigers—they sustain thousands of birds, plants, and the entire ecosystem.” Despite these warnings, the project presses ahead, leaving tribes and wildlife in its shadow.
Morand-Ganjal Project at a Glance
Legal Case: A PIL was filed in Jabalpur High Court in 2014, which was dismissed by the High Court.
Beginning: Conceived in 1972
Budget: ₹2,813 crores
Beneficiary Districts: Harda, Khandwa, Hoshangabad, and Betul
How Much Area Will Be Irrigated?
Total 52,000 hectares will benefit:
- Hoshangabad: 28 villages, 4,617 hectares
- Khandwa: 62 villages, 17,678 hectares
- Harda: 121 villages, 29,910 hectares
Villages to be Completely Submerged: 10 villages – 4 from Hoshangabad, 4 from Harda, and 2 from Betul
Rahatgaon: A ‘Peaceful Village’ Losing Its Peace
Rahatgaon — which literally means “peaceful village” — has lost much of its calm. Thousands of Korku and Gond tribals living in eight villages here — Singanpur, Keljhiri, Khoomi, Gorakhal, Chandrakhal, Rutubarra, Gangradhana, and Basanpani — are facing the twin threats of displacement and loss of livelihood. The Forest Department proposes to create the Dr. Rajendra Prasad Sanctuary in this area, spanning 16 forest blocks.
According to the 2011 census, these villages are home to more than 1,000 families and a population of 4,000–5,000, with literacy rates hovering between 40–50 percent. Most residents hold land patents under the Forest Rights Act 2006 and depend on forest produce like mahua, tendu leaves, and medicinal herbs for survival. If the sanctuary is declared, access to these resources could be legally blocked.
Jagdish Devda, 45, of Gorakhal village, who holds a patent for three hectares of forest land, says, “We earn 20–30 thousand rupees a year from mahua. If the forest is closed, how will we feed our families, how will our children go to school?”
Forest Department officials maintain that the sanctuary is being established with the permission of gram sabhas and that displaced villagers will receive compensation and land. Yet residents allege violations of laws such as the PESA Act and the Forest Rights Act.
Sundarlal, another resident of Gorakhal, recalls a gram sabha held on August 15, 2025: “All eight villages rejected the sanctuary proposal. But approval was still claimed. Gram sabha consent is often obtained under pressure.”
For the people of Rahatgaon, the name of their village — peaceful — now stands in stark contrast to the uncertainty and disruption clouding their lives.
“We will not sit quietly”
The Janjatiya Adivasi Yuva Shakti (JAYS) organization, formed in 2013, is supporting tribals in this struggle. In the district, organization workers are reaching every village and organizing villagers. Satyanarayan Suchar, JAYS district president of Harda, says, “The government is hiding NTCA’s warning. Consent of gram sabhas was not taken and compensation is not fixed. We will not sit quietly.”
The JAYS organization has demanded proper compensation and livelihood training for affected villagers. They also demand that alternative sites be searched for the sanctuary.
Dhansingh Bhalavi, patron of JAYS, says, “The public interest litigation brought by tribals against the Morand-Ganjal project in 2014 was dismissed in Jabalpur High Court, but the rehabilitation policy is not being followed. In December 2023, officials had to return empty-handed from Morghat. We have given a 15-day ultimatum, if not heeded, there will be a major movement in Bhopal.”
On Friday (September 12, 2025) in Rahatgaon, Harda district, tribals from Harda, Betul, and Narmadapuram districts reached in thousands and held a protest demonstration. This protest was against the proposed Dr. Rajendra Prasad Sanctuary in Rahatgaon and the Morand-Ganjal dam project. This tribal movement was led by JAYS and other organizations. During this, tribals held a public meeting at Tejaji Chowk. Later, a rally was taken out to the Collectorate and a dharna was held at the Collectorate gate for about an hour and a half. Tribals submitted memorandums in the name of the Governor and Chief Minister.
Meanwhile, when contacted, Additional Collector of Harda, Purushottam Kumar said, “The memorandum has been received, which has been sent to concerned departments. Houses, land, and compensation will be given under the rehabilitation policy to villages affected by the dam.”
Clouds of uncertainty are looming over the lives of Korku and Gond tribals in three districts of the state (Harda, Narmadapuram, and Betul). This is happening due to the Morand-Ganjal dam and Dr. Rajendra Prasad Sanctuary projects. Both these projects pose threats to tribal rights. The villagers’ struggle continues, and they are not reassured by administrative assurances.
Edited by Diwash Gahatraj
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