In response to the large-scale protests by the TMS, the government created a committee to assess the issue. The committee recommended that fishing rights be granted to the villagers for their livelihood. In 1996, the Madhya Pradesh Government decided to give fishing rights for the reservoir to the people displaced by the Tawa dam. A five-year lease agreement was signed two months later.
On January 2, 1997, people from 33 villages of Tawa started the new year with the first catch. With the TMS taking over the fish, workers were able to increase their earnings substantially. Thus, it can be said that the large-scale participation by the people forced the government to review the situation in the villagers’ favour, as they worked out a deal which would be beneficial for all the parties.