Walking Along River Ken – Webinar | Veditum x SANDRP

Introduction

As part of our Moving Upstream project, Veditum partnered with SANDRP – South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers and People to conduct a walk along the length of Ken River in Bundelkhand, documenting the river, life of the riparian community and local issues.

Bhim Singh Rawat (SANDRP) and Siddharth Agarwal (Veditum) walked all along the Ken River, from its confluence with Yamuna in Uttar Pradesh upstream to its origin in Madhya Pradesh. They were joined in phases by friends Shridhar Sudhir (independent filmmaker), Seema Ravandale (PSI – People’s Science Institute), Ravi Shukla and Dipani Sutaria.

On 12th May 2020, a webinar was organised to share some stories from the walk, followed by a Q&A session. Below is a recording of the webinar.

Reading List about River Ken

As part of the webinar exercise, we’ve prepared a reading / resource list about River Ken. If you have any interesting resource links to share about River Ken, please send to asid@veditum.org and we will update it here.

General reading about River Ken

1. Ken River Yatra: A Glimpse into the Lives of River People: https://sandrp.in/2018/12/04/ken-river-yatra-a-glimpse-into-the-lives-of-river-people/
2. Ken River Yatra: Exploring A Threatened River And Knowing River People https://sandrp.in/2018/11/08/ken-river-yatra-exploring-a-threatened-river-and-knowing-river-people/
3. Amazing experience of Yatra along the Majestic Ken River https://sandrp.in/2018/04/19/amazing-experience-of-yatra-along-the-majestic-ken-river/
4. River Ken, as I saw it (Manoj Misra) https://sandrp.in/2016/06/25/river-ken-as-i-saw-it/
5. Sand Mafia Build Illegal Bunds In Ken River https://sandrp.in/2019/07/13/sand-mafia-build-illegal-bunds-in-ken-river/
6. Kilkila: a Cursed River became Ganga; now Cursed again https://sandrp.in/2018/06/13/story-of-kilkila-river-in-ken-basin-the-cursed-river-became-ganga-now-cursed-with-pollution/
7. Walk along the Ken and You will find a world you didn?t know was there | The Wire https://thewire.in/environment/walk-along-the-ken-and-you-will-find-a-world-you-didnt-know-was-there
8. Walking along the Ken ? A multimedia report | India Climate Dialogue https://indiaclimatedialogue.net/2018/08/20/walking-along-the-ken-a-multimedia-report/
9. Villagers affected by Pawai irrigation project speak out against force displacement | Khabar Lahariya & FirstPost https://www.firstpost.com/india/they-warn-us-that-its-best-if-we-just-up-and-leave-villagers-affected-by-the-pawai-irrigation-project-speak-out-against-their-forced-displacement-4469977.html
10. TEDx talk about walking along rivers in India, with stories of the Ken River and Ken-Betwa link included in it http://www.veditum.org/editorial/a-case-for-slowing-down-walking-along-rivers-in-india-tedx-talk/

Ken Betwa River Linking Project: Bundelkhand

1. Panna Collector says KBRP is Disaster for Ken Basin People:
   https://sandrp.in/2017/10/06/ken-betwa-project-is-disaster-for-ken-basin-people-there-is-no-surplus-water-in-ken-basin-panna-collector/
2. Little for Bundelkhand, lot for contractors in Ken Betwa river-link: https://sandrp.in/2017/01/21/little-for-bundelkhand-lot-for-contractors-in-ken-betwa-river-link/
3. Ken Betwa Project will facilitate water export out of Bundelkhand, It will destroy Panna Tiger Reserve: Letter to EAC: https://sandrp.in/2016/06/01/ken-betwa-project-will-facilitate-water-export-out-of-bundelkhand-it-will-destroy-panna-tiger-reserve-letter-to-eac/
4. Ken Betwa Project to destroy Raneh Falls: India?s Mini Grand Canyon-cum- Mini Niagra:
   https://sandrp.in/2017/09/29/ken-betwa-project-to-destroy-raneh-falls-indias-mini-grand-canyon-cum-mini-niagra/

Ken Betwa River Linking Project: Environmental Issues

1. NGT Admits Appeal challenging Environment Clearance to Ken Betwa Project
   https://sandrp.in/2017/10/30/ngt-admits-appeal-challenging-environment-clearance-to-ken-betwa-project/
2. Open Letter of Protest on Ken Betwa Project to MoEF https://sandrp.in/2017/05/03/open-letter-of-protest-on-ken-betwa-project-to-moef/
3. Ken Betwa Link: Letter to Water Resources Minister and EAC in Dec 2016 https://sandrp.in/2016/12/28/18942/
4. NWDA & EIA lies on Ken Betwa River Link nailed by IGF (WL): Will EAC take action against them now https://sandrp.in/2016/03/17/nwda-eia-lies-on-ken-betwa-river-link-nailed-by-igf-wl-will-eac-take-action-against-them-now/
5. Letters to EAC & MOEF: Ken Betwa Link is a tragedy – don’t burn lifeboats to stay warm on a sinking ship https://sandrp.in/2016/02/09/letters-to-eac-moef-ken-betwa-link-is-tragedy-dont-burn-lifeboats-to-stay-warm-on-sinking-titanic-ship/
6. Ken Betwa River Link Project involves India?s first Major Dam inside National Park: It needs, fresh, credible EIA, not misleading falsehoods from NWDA https://sandrp.in/2015/10/27/ken-betwa-river-link-project-involves-indias-first-major-dam-inside-national-park-it-needs-fresh-credible-eia-not-misleading-falsehoods-from-nwda/
7. Letter to MoEF Expert Appraisal Committee: Reject Ken Betwa Proposal https://sandrp.in/2015/08/25/letter-to-moef-expert-appraisal-committee-reject-ken-betwa-proposal/
8. What ails DPR and EIA of Ken-Betwa Link Project: A Note for EAC of MoEF&CC https://sandrp.in/2015/10/29/what-ails-dpr-and-eia-of-ken-betwa-link-project-a-note-for-eac-of-moefcc/
9. Why Ken Betwa EIA by AFCL is unacceptable https://sandrp.in/2014/12/21/why-ken-betwa-eia-by-afcl-is-unacceptable/
10. Violations in Ken Betwa Riverlink Public Hearings in last week of 2014 https://sandrp.in/2014/12/20/violations-in-ken-betwa-riverlink-public-hearings-in-last-week-of-2014

Wildlife Clearance

1. On CEC report https://sandrp.in/2019/09/11/fatal-setback-for-ken-betwa-link-project-from-cec/
2. Open Letter to NBWL Standing Committee Members: Why NBWL should not consider Ken Betwa River Link Proposal
   https://sandrp.in/2015/11/03/open-letter-to-nbwl-standing-committee-members-why-nbwl-should-not-consider-ken-betwa-river-link-proposal/

Official Documents

1. Official documents on Phase I of the project
   http://nwda.gov.in/content/innerpage/ken-betwa-link-project-phase-i.php
2. Official documents on Phase II of the project http://nwda.gov.in/content/innerpage/ken-betwa-link-project-phase-ii.php
3. Official website with details on Forest Clearance details for Phase I of the project http://forestsclearance.nic.in/viewreport.aspx?pid=FP/MP/IRRIG/16372/2015
4. Official website with details on Environment Clearance details and EIA report of the project http://environmentclearance.nic.in/onlinesearch_parivesh_new.aspx?pid=5&status=NA&state=12&year=-1&cat=RIV
5. CEC Report http://cecindia.nic.in/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Report-No-23-of-2019-in-IA-No-26893-27160-of-2018.pdf
6. 25-07-2019 / Question on Inter-Linking in parliament http://164.100.24.220/loksabhaquestions/annex/171/AU5290.pdf
7. SC judgment from 2002 on River InterLinking
   http://nwda.gov.in/upload/uploadfiles/files/File394.pdf

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