Was ever a dam built, or any major project implemented, without collateral damage and mountains of complaints, many legitimate, from impacted people? Why should this dam be different? It is different because the dam is located in a disputed region. The people there have remained poor for this very reason. The region is disputed so not much can be achieved to help them. This is why Kashmiris, both Hindus and muslims, are struggling while the rest of India is improving. Resolution of this dispute is critical, only if we knew how to achieve it.