SUMP row: Siang people ‘innocent, misguided’ by anti-project groups, says Arunachal CM

Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu has described people in the Siang belt as “innocent” and “misguided” over the controversy surrounding the proposed Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP), alleging that anti-project groups were influencing public opinion against the project.

Khandu said the government would hold consultations with local communities and stakeholders before taking any decision on the proposed project.

“I have invited ABK (Adi Bane Kebang), Adi Students Union and other senior public leaders and people of Siang and Upper Siang districts to discuss the pros and cons of the Siang Upper Multipurpose Project,” Khandu said.

Clarifying the present stage of the project, the chief minister said only a Pre-Feasibility Report (PFR) survey was being undertaken to assess its feasibility and adaptability.

He said the survey was intended to establish whether the project was technically and otherwise feasible and would not amount to a final decision to proceed with its construction.

“Without consultation and public consent, the project will not go further and will be stopped if not feasible for the future of the people of the Siang belt in general and the state as a whole,” Khandu said.

The chief minister also said he would dedicate the entire month to the Siang districts to hear grievances and concerns raised by residents over the project.

The proposed SUMP, envisaged as an 11,000-MW multipurpose project, has faced opposition from several organisations and sections of the local population, who have raised concerns over its potential social and environmental impact.

The government has maintained that the current exercise is only a feasibility assessment and that technical, legal and statutory processes, along with consultations, would have to be completed before any final decision is taken.