Sagar’s village faces marriage crisis after Uldan Dam project approval:No wedding procession has left in 4 years

For the residents of Salaiya Khurd village in Sagar district, displacement due to the Uldan Dam project has become more than a matter of losing homes and farmland. It has also jeopardized marriage prospects for many young men, with families reportedly refusing alliances after learning that the village is located in the submergence zone. According to villagers, not a single wedding procession has left the 40-household village in the past four years. More than 15 men of marriageable age remain unmarried, making it a concern in nearly every third household. When the Dainik Bhaskar team reached Salaiya Khurd, it became clear that this submergence due to development has not only snatched away people’s land and houses but has also drowned their relationships, dreams, and hopes for tomorrow. Read the full report… “People hear our village’s name and walk away” Displaced resident Dev Singh Rajput says his family accepted the loss of ancestral land as fate, but never imagined that their sons’ marriages would also be affected. “Families come with marriage proposals, but once they learn that Salaiya Khurd will be submerged, they refuse. They say they cannot marry their daughter into a village that will soon lose its homes,” he said. Dev Singh has three sons, all over the age of 30, who remain unmarried despite repeated efforts to find suitable matches. Homes built for future families now stand uncertain Dev Singh said he had built a house and made arrangements for his sons to settle down after marriage. However, with the village facing displacement, those plans have collapsed. Instead of preparing for weddings, families are now preparing to leave their homes and rebuild their lives elsewhere. See two pictures Widowed mother faces impossible choice Another resident, Meera Bai, lost her husband when her children were young and raised them through years of manual labour. She says both of her sons are now of marriageable age but remain unmarried because prospective families are reluctant to send daughters to a village slated for submergence. She says the family is now forced to choose between arranging marriages for the sons or constructing a new house after relocation. Survey in 2017 changed the village’s future Seventy-five-year-old Dev Singh Rajput recalls that the Uldan Dam survey conducted in 2017 was the first indication that Salaiya Khurd would be submerged. Initially, villagers continued with normal life and marriages took place as usual. However, as construction progressed and the submergence became certain, proposals began to dry up. Families considering marriage alliances backed out after learning about the village’s uncertain future. According to residents, the last wedding procession from the village took place in 2022. Village expected to go underwater this year Construction of the Uldan Dam is in its final phase, and authorities plan to begin filling the reservoir during this monsoon season. In the first phase, water will be stored up to around 30% of the dam’s capacity (457 metres), a level at which Salaiya Khurd is expected to be completely submerged. The reservoir will be expanded further in subsequent years until it reaches full capacity. The dam has a storage capacity of 313.07 million cubic metres and a total length of 926 metres, comprising 756 metres of earthen structure and 170 metres of concrete construction. Irrigation benefits for thousands of hectares The ₹3,219.62-crore Uldan Dam project on the Dhasan River is intended to provide irrigation to nearly 80,000 hectares (around 200,000 acres) of agricultural land in Chhatarpur and Sagar districts. It is also expected to supply drinking water to 412 villages and provide water for industrial use. While Salaiya Khurd, Pura Bineka, Bamura Bineka and Mudiya Gusai will be fully affected, several other villages will face partial submergence. Hundreds of houses to be affected in first phase The initial filling of the reservoir is expected to bring around 386 houses and other structures within the submergence zone across several villages, including Salaiya Khurd. These include 312 permanent and 74 temporary structures. The administration has identified land for rehabilitation at Panari and Pitholi villages and says housing and other basic infrastructure are being developed for displaced families. Authorities urge early relocation Banda Large Irrigation Project Manager Aniruddh Anand said canal closure work is nearing completion and reservoir filling will begin with this year’s rains. He said affected families have been instructed to vacate properties falling within the submergence zone and relocate to rehabilitation colonies in Panari and Pitholi. Authorities have also appealed to eligible beneficiaries to submit the required documents within seven days to facilitate compensation and rehabilitation.