Experts Flag Concerns Over Ken-Betwa Project in PTR

Wildlife experts and forest officials have flagged concerns over the construction work for the Ken-Betwa river linking project going on in the Panna Tiger Reserve in Chhatarpur district of Madhya Pradesh, citing a severe impact on the wildlife population inside the reserve.

- Shruti Tomar

BHOPAL:

The project, flagged off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on December 25 last year, envisions channeling excess water from Ken River into Betwa to provide access to drinking water to around 6.5 million people in MP and neighboring Uttar Pradesh.

In March 2025, work began with the construction of a road to the dam site at Daudhan village, in PTR's core Chandra Nagar range, for which trees in 15 hectares of forest land were felled. As a result, animals have started migrating to other areas of the reserve, officials aware of the matter said.

"The signs of disturbance are clear. Herbivores, once abundant in the Chandra Nagar range, are leaving and moving northward. This will further increase the risk of territorial conflict," a deputy forest range officer said on the condition of anonymity.

On May 28, a tiger, identified as T-2, was killed in such a territorial fight, the officer said. "These incidents may seem isolated, but they reflect a broader disruption. Even birds and monkeys are fleeing due to the presence of humans and machinery," they added.