Villagers displaced by the Upper Kolab Dam Project in Koraput district of Odisha are demanding better compensation and rehabilitation. The multipurpose project had displaced over 3,000 families when it was constructed four decades ago and the villagers allege they have not been provided with adequate compensation and proper rehabilitation. On February 27, 2018, a public hearing was held where activists demanded proper compensation for the displaced families.  The multipurpose dam was built over the River Kolab in Koraput district of Odisha for hydroelectricity and irrigation in the year 1976. It has two main canals; the right one has a command area of 46,049 hectares of agricultural land and the left, 1,936 hectares. It has been reported that over 3,000 families from 57 villages were displaced by this project. About 52 per cent of the affected people are Paraja tribals and 17 percent are Dalits, according to a study by the South Orissa Voluntary Action (SOVA), an NGO in Koraput. After 40 years, the people displaced by the dam are fighting for their right to live with dignity. According to reports, the displaced people have made repeated demands to the President and other authorities for redressal of their grievances under the banner of Upper Kolab Bistapita Sangha (The Upper Kolab Displaced Persons Association).