Scientists, researchers, practitioners stand in solidarity with Adi communities resisting Upper Siang Dam

A collective of 114 scientists, researchers, and practitioners has issued a powerful statement of solidarity with the Indigenous Adi communities of Beging and the wider Siang Valley in Arunachal Pradesh, who are staunchly opposing the proposed Upper Siang Dam—officially termed the Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP).

The statement, grounded in a nuanced understanding of the ecological, cultural, and social implications of the project, emphasises that the proposed dam threatens one of the most biologically and culturally rich regions of the Eastern Himalayas. The signatories call for a serious re-evaluation of infrastructure development in ecologically sensitive zones.

*River at the Heart of Culture*

The Siang River—revered as Ane Siang or "Mother Siang" by the Adi people—is central to their identity, livelihoods, and cultural traditions. The SUMP project would submerge vital terraced rice fields, disrupt gravity-fed irrigation systems, and dismantle traditional agroecological knowledge rooted in generations of practice.

"Compensation mechanisms rarely account for non-monetary values such as land-based identity, ecological knowledge, and customary rights," the statement notes, warning of irreversible damage to both people and ecosystems.

*Biodiversity Hotspot at Risk*

The Siang Valley is globally significant for its biodiversity. In just the past 15 years, over 48 species new to science have been discovered here. Rediscovered species like the Siang swamp eel (Ophichthys hodgarti) and the velvet worm (Typhloperipatus williamsoni), as well as iconic fish like the Golden Mahseer (Tor putitora), Glyptothorax siangensis, and Opsarius siangi, depend on the river's free flow.

*Key Demands from the Signatories:*

Immediate suspension of all activities related to the Upper Siang Dam;

Recognition and protection of community forest and resource rights;

Assurance of full community agency in line with Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC).

*Natural Disasters as Warnings*

The statement arrives amid severe ecological disruptions across Arunachal Pradesh, triggered by an early and intense monsoon. Flash floods, landslides, and infrastructure destruction underscore the risks of infrastructure expansion in geologically fragile regions like the Siang Valley. These disasters are seen as warnings against further construction in hydrologically active zones.

*Cultural Identity at Stake*

The Siang River, which originates in Tibet as the Yarlung Tsangpo, supports around 130 million people across Tibet, India, and Bhutan. For the Adi people, the river is sacred and central to their migrations, traditions, and cultural identity. Hydropower activities like tunneling and reservoir creation threaten to sever this deep-rooted connection.

Past experiences with the Lower Subansiri and Dibang projects reveal how displacement leads to long-term socio-economic disruptions, often failing to compensate for non-monetary losses. Relocation in mountainous regions comes with underestimated costs and emotional trauma.

*Traditional Knowledge and Agroecology in Peril*

Adi communities rely on over 250 species of wild plants and animals for food, medicine, and cultural practices—regulated by a sophisticated system of Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK). Their unique terraced rice cultivation, combined with shifting agriculture, citrus groves, and seasonal harvesting, forms a resilient agroecological matrix.

The Upper Siang Dam would submerge these terraces, destroy irrigation channels, and erase systems of traditional knowledge passed down for generations.

*Seismic and Climate Hazards*

Situated in Seismic Zone V—the highest risk zone as per the Bureau of Indian Standards—the proposed dam site lies in an area with a history of powerful earthquakes, including the 1950 Assam earthquake (Magnitude 8.6). Combined with increasing risks of glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs), cloudbursts, and slope failures, the dam raises concerns of cumulative hazard potential.

*Geopolitical Complexity*

The Siang’s origins in China’s Tibet Autonomous Region further add geopolitical complexity. China’s upstream hydropower projects raise concerns over sediment flow and water availability. In response, India’s infrastructure strategy disproportionately burdens local communities, undermining trust in democratic institutions.

*Ecological and Scientific Treasure Trove*

The Siang Valley sits at the confluence of the Indo-Burma and Eastern Himalayan biodiversity hotspots. It harbors species like the Mishmi Takin, Red Panda, Bengal Florican, hornbills, orchids, and highly endemic fish species such as:

Glyptothorax siangensis

Opsarius siangi

Aborichthys bajpaii

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Many species are found only in specific river stretches and are poorly studied. Several have commercial value—especially smoked fish sold by women bioresource vendors. The dam threatens these livelihoods and the ecological integrity of the region.

*Recent Discoveries Include:*

Cyrtodactylus siangensis (2024)

Indo-Burmese pangolin (Manis sp.)

Paraparatrechina neela (metallic-blue ant)

Pseumenes siangensis (potter wasp)

Ophichthys hodgarti (rediscovered after 110 years)

Aborichthys bajpaii, Exostoma tenuicaudata, Opsarius siangi, Petaurista siangensis

Typhloperipatus williamsoni (velvet worm, rediscovered)

Henckelia siangensis, Lysionotus chatungii, Peliosanthes ligniradicis, Begonia pasighatensis, Impatiens pasighatensis, Begonia egamii

Ten new moth species, invertebrates like molluscs and parasitic wasps, and other bioresources further confirm the area’s scientific importance.

*Key Assertions by the Collective:*

The Siang Valley is of exceptional ecological, hydrological, and cultural value.

The Upper Siang Dam is unsafe and unsustainable due to climate and seismic risks.

The project violates key national and international laws and agreements.

The community resistance is a legitimate and informed democratic response.

*Final Appeal:*

Suspend all activities related to the Upper Siang Dam.

Fully recognise community forest and resource rights under the Forest Rights Act.

Uphold Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC).

The collective affirms that development in Arunachal Pradesh must prioritise ecological integrity, cultural continuity, and democratic processes, and stand in solidarity with the Indigenous communities of the Siang Valley.