New Delhi- In a stark display of governmental reticence, the Jal Shakti Ministry appeared evasive while addressing pointed questions from Bharat Adivasi Party (BAP) Banswara MP Rajkumar Roat on the contentious Dungri Dam project, an issue that has ignited fierce resistance from villagers in Rajasthan's Sawai Madhopur and Karauli districts in recent weeks.

With thousands of farmers and tribal communities staging mahapanchayats, issuing ultimatums, and submitting memorandums to district collectors in the recent past, the proposed dam's threat to displace up to 76 villages has snowballed into a major flashpoint. On December 18, Roat raised unstarred question No. 3181 in the Lok Sabha, demanding clarity on displacement impacts, environmental assessments, and community consents. The ministry's vague reply has only amplified calls for accountability, as BAP vows to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the affected from the streets to Parliament.

Project Controversy: 76 or 16 Villages at Risk?

In his question, MP Rot claimed that the Dungri Dam could fully or partially displace around 76 villages. He sought official figures on the affected population, agricultural land, forest land, grazing areas, religious sites, families, livelihoods, and livestock. He also probed alternatives like redesigned plans, locations, or heights; the status of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and Social Impact Assessment (SIA) reports; gram sabha consents; and whether the government plans to halt the project without ensuring rehabilitation, compensation, livelihood security, and community approval.

In response, Minister of State for Jal Shakti Raj Bhushan Chaudhary stated that initial assessments by the Rajasthan government indicate only 16 villages will be impacted, with over 10% of the population affected in these,10 in Sawai Madhopur district and 6 in Karauli. The Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the Rajasthan component of the modified Parvati-Kalisindh-Chambal Link Project, including the Dungri Dam on the Banas River, has been submitted to the Central Water Commission (CWC) for technical-economic evaluation. Initially prepared for a Full Reservoir Level (FRL)/Maximum Water Level (MWL) of 230 meters, the DPR has been revised to 227.5 meters, considering residential areas, infrastructure, wildlife, and optimal storage capacity.

The minister clarified that land acquisition will follow the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013, and Rajasthan Government Rules 2016, only after DPR evaluation and project approval. EIA, SIA, and detailed impact figures will also be finalized post-approval. No direct response was provided on gram sabha consents.

BAP national spokesperson Dr Jitendra Meena dismissed the parliamentary response outright, stating, "The government is lying. They have neither a solid policy on displacement nor the right intent, they just want to seize the land." Meena emphasized that BAP stands with the victims and will "fight alongside them from the streets to Parliament." He urged the Dungri Dam Displacement Resistance Committee to strategize next steps, chanting, "Jai Johar! Withdraw the Dungri Dam project!"