250-year-old village in Sagar district set to be submerged soon:Affected families question rehabilitation plans

A 250-year-old village in Sagar district is preparing for a painful farewell as the Uldan Dam Project nears completion. With the dam expected to start filling during this monsoon, Salaiya Khurd village will be completely submerged, forcing hundreds of families to leave their homes and land behind. Residents say they spent their lives building houses and securing a future for their children, but now face uncertainty in old age. Many families do not know where they will settle or how they will rebuild their lives after displacement. The Uldan dam, being built near Uldan village in Banda block, is almost complete and the nala closure work is in its final stage. Once the reservoir starts filling, Salaiya Khurd will go underwater. According to official records, 386 houses and structures in the village will be affected this year, including 312 permanent and 74 temporary structures. The rehabilitation process has begun, and affected families have been allotted land in Panari and Pithauli villages. They have also been provided land ownership documents. When the Dainik Bhaskar team visited Salaiya Khurd, residents shared their fears and concerns about losing their homes, livelihoods and the village where generations of their families have lived. See the village and the dam in three pictures Disqualified for going out to teach children Savitri Bai, a resident of Salaiya Khurd, says – The government is displacing the village. I have three sons. One son has been given money, while two sons have not received compensation. The youngest son is not married. We have been declared ineligible. Compensation was given for one house, but compensation was not received for the second house and about three acres of land. Officials say – you don’t live here. I used to live on rent in Karrapur to educate my children. Everything I own is in the village. The entire village knows this. Complaints were made to the Collector, SDM, and even the CM Helpline, but no hearing took place. Now an order has been issued to vacate the house and leave the village. I don’t understand where to go. Now there is neither a house to live in nor land for farming. Husband left, abandoning small children; built a home with hard work Meera Bai says- My husband left, abandoning very young children. The entire burden of the household fell upon me. I raised the children by working hard and doing labor. I built a home. I have two children. I had to get them married, but now the administration is driving us out of the village. It is asking us to live on the mountain. I don’t have a husband. If the children go out, how will I live alone on the mountain? The administration should give me proper compensation and a place. 6.36 lakh rupees given as compensation Gajraj Lodhi says – When our 250-year-old Salaiya village was submerged, every person here was ruined. There are about 40 houses in the village. 105 families live in them. A package of 6.36 lakh rupees has been given as compensation. Compensation of 2.80 lakh rupees was given for one acre of land. The administration also knows that if I am displaced, I will not be able to build a house with this much compensation. Even if I build a house, how will I buy land to feed myself? Now there is no arrangement for living and eating. Kamlesh Yadav says – We are 6 brothers. The land and house were in our father’s name. We are going by the grace of God. Was studying, so was disqualified Vrinda?? Lodhi, a youth from the village, said that he is 24 years old. He was studying at home. I was not included among the flood-affected. When I spoke to the SDM, he said that I am studying. That’s why I have been disqualified. My childhood was spent in this village. Now I have to leave the village. About 88 people in the village have not received compensation, and those who received compensation will neither be able to build a house nor buy land with it. With despair in their eyes, they are themselves demolishing their homes After receiving the eviction ultimatum from the administration, the villagers now have no other option. In the scorching sun and intense heat, people are breaking down their homes with pickaxes and hammers. Whatever material from doors, windows, and roofs can be salvaged, they are removing it and loading it into tractors to take away. Amidst all this, the innocent children of the village are looking at each other’s faces, scared. They don’t understand that the courtyard where they played until yesterday will be submerged underwater in a few days. For displacement, the administration has given land leases in Panari and Pithauli, but due to the lack of basic facilities and insufficient compensation, the future of the villagers hangs in darkness. Villages affected by the project Project Manager Anirudh Anand said- In the project, Salaiya Khurd, Pura Bineka, Bamura Bineka, Mudia Gusain and partially affected villages Uldan, Kirola, Kull, Bahrol, Pipariya Illai, Hanauta Uwari, Semra Ahir, Kotiya, Pitholi, Paharguwan are coming under submergence. Water will be filled in the dam from this year itself. In the first year of water filling, at 457 meters, around 386 houses in Bahrol, Uldan, Pipariya Illai, Salaiya Khurd, Hanauta Ubari, Kirola, Kull Tehsil Banda and Mudia Gusain Tehsil Malthon will come under the submergence zone, and their displacement is being carried out. The dam aims to irrigate 80 thousand hectares in Sagar and Chhatarpur districts, including 35253 hectares of irrigated land in Banda tehsil, 16266 hectares in Malthon tehsil, 13379 hectares in Bakswaha (Chhatarpur), and 10675 hectares in Shahgarh tehsil. Bahrol-Banda, Garhpahra-Dhamoni Road will be submerged Water will accumulate in the catchment area due to water filling in the dam and heavy rainfall. Due to waterlogging, Banda-Bandri road, Garhpahra-Dhamoni road, Bahrol-Uldan-Banda road, and other local roads will be closed. For this, the administration has started constructing alternative routes. Road construction work is underway on the routes of Bahrol and Uldan. If anyone feels there is a deficiency, they can go to court Collector Pratibha Pal informed that compensation has been given to those affected by the Uldan Dam Project as per the rules. Awards have been passed, but some beneficiaries are certainly raising objections regarding the compensation. Our team remained in constant contact with the affected people and also spoke to them.