Bhopal land rights meet calls for development without displacement

By A Representative 

Development cannot be measured solely by the number of dams built, power plants commissioned or industries established. It must also be judged by its human and environmental costs. A development model that destroys forests, uproots indigenous communities, displaces farmers and undermines livelihoods cannot be regarded as sustainable or inclusive. As governments pursue rapid infrastructure and industrial expansion, the question is no longer whether development is necessary, but whether it can be achieved without sacrificing the rights, dignity and future of the people who have lived on these lands for generations. 

A recent state-level meeting of the Land Rights Movement in Bhopal brought these concerns into sharp focus, calling for a displacement-free model of development that respects constitutional safeguards, community consent and environmental sustainability.

The meeting of the Land Rights Movement, held at Gandhi Bhavan in Bhopal, brought together farmers, Adivasis, forest rights groups, labour organisations and representatives of people's movements from across Madhya Pradesh. The participants deliberated extensively on issues relating to land acquisition, dams, mining, industrial projects, forest rights and livelihoods. The discussions reflected growing concern over a development model that continues to displace vulnerable communities while placing increasing pressure on forests and natural resources.

Ashok Paigam from Singrauli highlighted the environmental and social costs of dams and coal-based power projects being established in the name of electricity generation. He pointed out that these projects are leading to large-scale deforestation and the displacement of thousands of families, particularly those dependent on forests for their livelihoods.

Representing the Ganjal-Morand Dam struggle, Sardar Devda and Ramprasad Kajale said that nearly 2,500 hectares of forest land are likely to be submerged by the proposed dam project. According to them, a large number of Adivasi families, farmers and economically weaker households stand to lose their homes and livelihoods. They argued that, in the name of development, the government is sacrificing the water, forests and land on which indigenous and rural communities depend, despite sustained local resistance.

Ashish and Mohan Sulya of the Silicosis Victims' Association from Jhabua drew attention to the severe health crisis caused by silicosis among workers in the region. They said the disease has devastated many families, forcing large-scale migration in search of alternative livelihoods. They also expressed concern over increasing pollution in the Anas River, which is adversely affecting agriculture and fertile farmland.

Manish Srivastava of the All India Kisan Mazdoor Organisation warned that attempts to acquire fertile agricultural land for industrial and corporate projects are intensifying in districts such as Guna and Rajgarh in the Malwa region. He argued that productive farmland is increasingly being diverted to private companies, raising concerns over the future of farming communities.

Vijay Bhai of Bharat Jan Andolan stressed that India's development strategy should be based on a displacement-free model that safeguards the rights and interests of local communities. He urged the government to fully implement the recommendations of the Bhuria Committee, noting that Madhya Pradesh had accepted the committee's framework in 1998–99. Under this framework, the Gram Sabha occupies a central role in governance in Scheduled Areas, and land cannot be transferred or acquired without its consent. Any development project in these areas, he argued, should proceed only after obtaining the prior approval of the Gram Sabha. Development must ensure the participation, consent and constitutional rights of local communities rather than treating them as obstacles to economic growth.

Participants at the meeting unanimously maintained that projects built by submerging forests and uprooting Adivasis and farmers from their ancestral lands cannot be described as genuine development. They also condemned the reported demolition of houses and forcible eviction of families affected by the Ken-Betwa Project, describing such actions as inconsistent with constitutional protections and the principles of social justice.

The meeting concluded with a call by the Land Rights Movement to strengthen the nationwide struggle for protecting water, forests, land and other natural resources. It asserted that local communities have the first claim over these resources and that any development policy must respect their constitutional rights, livelihoods and participation. Sustainable development, the participants argued, is possible only when economic progress is pursued alongside environmental conservation, democratic decision-making and the protection of those who bear its greatest costs.

The meeting was attended by representatives from several organisations and movements, including Ashok Chaudhary of the Adivasi Samanvay Manch, Kusum Rawat from Rajasthan, senior farmers' leader Dr. Sunilam of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha, Aradhana Bhargava and Shiv Singh of the Kisan Sangharsh Samiti, Amulya Nidhi of Jan Swasthya Abhiyan India, Bhagwan Bhai of the Narmada Bachao Andolan, Prahlad Bairagi of CPI, Badal Saroj of CPI(M), along with Ashok Tiwari, Akhilesh Yadav, Ram Narayan Kurariya, Satyam Srivastava and several other activists. The proceedings were conducted by Raj Kumar Sinha of the Bargi Dam Displaced and Affected Association.