Pune's Pawana Dam: 50 Years On, 863 Farmers Still Await Rehabilitation

The Pawana Dam, completed in 1972 in Pune's Maval tehsil, displaced 1,203 farmers from 22 villages. The government had promised four acres of land to each affected farmer. However, only 340 farmers have received land allotments to date, with many lacking actual physical possession. The remaining 863 farmers have waited 65 years without resolution.

While the dam brought water to Pimpri-Chinchwad and Maval, the surrounding area has transformed into a lucrative commercial hub with resorts, hotels, and businesses generating substantial revenue. The original displaced farmers, who sacrificed their lands, have received only repeated assurances and discussions across three generations, with no meaningful rehabilitation outcome.