The Sardar Sarovar Dam was formally inaugurated by Prime Minister, Narendra Modi who was also celebrating his 67th birthday. The dam is now the second largest in the world when it comes to the amount of concrete used to build is expected to supply drinking water, hydroelectricity and irritation to Gujarat, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh.

The project has always been shrouded in controversy ever since it was first planned in 1961. Activists who have been against the construction of the dam all along say that it will gravely affect about 40,000 families who are living in the area. They say that many of them will stand to lose their homes and they have not been compensated properly for their loss.

Prime Minister, Modi was in a defiant mood and he said that there was a lot of misinformation about the problems being faced by these people. The government has stated that about 18,000 families will be affected by the construction of the dam. 

Most of the people affected by the dam are Adivasis or Tribals. They also fall under one of India’s poorest communities and hence there is intense scrutiny about those affected.
The dam is set to play a major role in shaping the political landscape of Gujarat with the Assembly elections just around the corner. Modi dedicated the dam to the nation and said that it will benefit millions of people in the affected states.

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