Karam Dam in Madhya Pradesh Failed to Irrigate Fertile Land as Intended

The Karam Dam, located in the Dharampuri tehsil of Dhar district, is still under construction and has caused significant damage. Eight officials were suspended, two of whom have retired and the rest reinstated. The construction company involved has been blacklisted.

Despite these actions, there has been no accountability established for the massive failure that endangered over 18 villages and devastated the livelihoods of farmers in 42 villages. The government and local administration were forced to breach the incomplete wall of the dam to prevent a larger catastrophe. As a result, flood-affected tribal farmers are now struggling to survive, with their fertile lands destroyed and replaced by fields filled with stones from the floodwaters.

Many farmers, like Shivam Kahir, have been forced into labor work to make ends meet. They have repeatedly asked the government for compensation and to restore their land, but nothing has been done. The situation has become so dire that some villagers have sought refuge in nearby forests, facing daily hardships such as a lack of food and basic necessities.

A villager named Jaisingh has issued a warning to the government, stating that they will obstruct any further work on the dam if their problems are not addressed. Living conditions for the displaced farmers are deplorable, as they reside in makeshift shelters in the forests, facing threats from wildlife and lacking basic amenities. Children’s education is reduced to makeshift classes held in huts, and the community remains in a constant state of fear and insecurity.

Former MLA Panchilal Meda accuses the government of gross corruption and claims that the dam was built using substandard materials. However, government officials maintain that most of the compensation has been distributed, and they are working on completing the process and investigating and compensating those who are eligible. They also state that the construction work will take another two years to complete.

The dam’s construction contract was awarded to ANS Construction from Delhi, which subcontracted the work to Sarathi Construction in Gwalior. Both companies were blacklisted after the dam’s failure, but Sarathi Construction contested the decision in the High Court, while the government remained largely inactive, allowing the company to clear its name. As the people of Dharampuri continue to suffer from the aftermath of the dam’s failure, unresolved issues of accountability, corruption, and neglect cast a long shadow over the future of the Karam Dam and the farmers it was meant to serve.