Committee demands adequate compensation for Gosikhurd Dam project affected farmers, families

Indian Express

11-06-2025

Written by: Kartika Jamdar
Members of the Gosikhurd Prakalpgrast Sangharsh Samiti that represents farmers, agricultural labourers, and fishermen, affected by the ongoing Gosikhurd Dam project demanded adequate compensation for the affected families.
Speaking to the media in Nagpur, members of the committee vowed to intensify their agitation and even threatened to move courts against the alleged government indifference.
Speaking at a press conference in Nagpur on Monday, Advocate Govind Bhendarkar and Ram Bante, accused the state government of neglecting the demands of those displaced by the Gosikhurd National Irrigation Project (GNIP) — a major irrigation project being built on the Godavari basin, specifically on the Wainganga river.
While around 2,50,800 hectares of land in Nagpur, Bhandara, and Chandrapur were expected to be under irrigation, the Sangharsha Samiti claimed that the project has failed to bring even 40 percent of the promised land under irrigation.
The committee further raised concerns over pollution of water and demanded adequate compensation for families affected by the project as per the provisions of the National Rehabilitation Policy 2007 and the Maharashtra State Rehabilitation Act 1999.
They demanded that a total sum of Rs 10 lakh be given to each family as compensation instead of Rs 2.9 lakh.
The representatives of the Sangharsha Samiti said that while Gosikhurd Prakalp Stariya Vyavasthapan Samiti was set up in 1992 and it included both government officials as well as members of affected farmer communities, it has only met 18 times until 2020 and has not met since. 'We demand that this committee needs to convene immediately, and if not, we will have to take this matter to court,' Bhendarkar said.
A 2018 CAG report tabled in the Assembly revealed that between 2012 and 2017, the Gosikhurd Dam project failed to deliver on key promises.
It flagged poor planning, cost overruns, contract violations, and delayed rehabilitation efforts, all of which ultimately allegedly benefited contractors more than communities.
Due to the lack of basic civic infrastructure, only 20 percent of the promised land was brought under irrigation.
The report also confirmed that the dam water was polluted by untreated sewage and contaminated river inflows.
In 2023, Ashok Nete, former MP from Gadchiroli-Chimur, addressed the Lok Sabha on the question of compensation given to the Project Affected Persons saying, 'Regarding rehabilitation and resettlement of the project affected families (PAFs), it is informed that the project involves 85 fully affected and 183 partially affected villages, involving 14,984 PAFs…. So far, 12,298 PAFs have been reported by the State Government to have been resettled.'