Hydropower and irrigation development has transformed northern India’s economy. The Bhakra and Pong dams in Himachal Pradesh became symbols of national progress after independence. They supply electricity, drinking water, and irrigation to large parts of North India. However, this progress carried a deep social cost. Thousands of local families were uprooted from their ancestral homes and forced into uncertain migration.
Bhakra Dam Displacement
Construction of the Bhakra Dam began around 1948 and continued into the 1960s. The reservoir submerged several villages near the Satluj River. More than 11,000 families were displaced. Many were given temporary locations but permanent rehabilitation and land allotments faced delays. A group of about 254 families continues to wait for final settlement plots even today. Their experience shows that compensation and rehabilitation were incomplete. Loss of land, cultural dislocation, disrupted education, and reduced livelihood opportunities have affected generations.
Pong Dam Displacement
Pong Dam was completed in 1974 on the Beas River. Its reservoir, Maharana Pratap Sagar, submerged around 75,268 acres across 339 villages. Nearly 150,000 people from more than 30,000 families were affected. About 16,352 families were officially declared eligible for rehabilitation. They were promised agricultural land in Rajasthan where canal irrigation would be provided from Pong Dam waters. But much of the allotted land was barren desert and lacked basic services like water supply, electricity, roads, and irrigation. Even after 50 years, over 6,700 families still remain without proper land or documentation. Many plots were cancelled due to technical rules, and some families were pushed into decades of hardship, insecurity, and legal struggle.
Shared Impact on People and Livelihoods
The displacement from both dams changed the socio-economic structure of these communities.
• Fertile farmland and village networks were lost permanently
• New settlements lacked opportunities for income
• Social identity and community ties weakened
• Generations grew up without land rights or stable livelihoods
• Administrative processes remained slow and complicated
Families found themselves paying the price of development that benefited distant regions more than their own.
Government Policy and Delays
In both cases, promises were made but not fully delivered. Rehabilitation became a long legal and bureaucratic process instead of a guaranteed right. Temporary arrangements turned into decades-long waiting. Reports and committees were formed repeatedly, showing awareness but not resolution. The gap between development planning and human welfare became clearly visible.
Lessons and Way Forward
Bhakra and Pong dam cases show that development must respect people’s rights. Economic progress is incomplete if displaced communities continue to live in struggle and uncertainty. Future projects should include:
• Timely and transparent rehabilitation of displaced people
• Confirmed and cultivated land instead of barren plots
• Basic services: water, health, roads, electricity in settlement areas
• Participation of communities in decision-making
• Monitoring systems to ensure benefits actually reach families
True development balances infrastructure with human dignity. Rehabilitation is not charity — it is a responsibility. The Bhakra and Pong displaced families remind us that development must never leave its own people behind.
