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More than 130 villagers in Madhya Pradesh have been protesting in neck-deep water for almost a fortnight now. They want compensation for their land that got submerged after the height of two dams - Indira Sagar and Omkareshwar Dam - was raised.
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It has been over a year since the Supreme Court had asked the state government to rehabilitate and compensate the villagers but nothing has been done so far.
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The Supreme Court judgement also stated that land cannot be submerged prior to compensation. But the Madhya Pradesh government unilaterally decided to raise the level of the Omkareshwar Dam to 191 metre from 189 metre.
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The activists say that the dam's water level, which now stands at 193 meters, can washout homes of more than 50,000 people.
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The villagers have a clear demand - if they are forced to give up their land, they must be compensated with land elsewhere.
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"We will protest till our demands are not met and till we don't get our land, even if it risks our lives," said one of the protestors.
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"I am ready to die for this cause. I am ready to fast for a year," said another protester.
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The government, however, is playing the waiting game with the protesters.
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