Arunachal: Adi body demands scrapping of proposed 11,000-MW Siang project

The Adi Bane Kebang-United (ABK-U), the apex organisation representing the Adi community in Arunachal Pradesh, has urged the state government to immediately scrap the proposed Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP), citing concerns over displacement, ecological damage and the impact on ancestral land and cultural heritage.

At a press conference at the Arunachal Press Club in Itanagar on Tuesday, ABK-U president Thomas Borang said the organisation opposed the proposed mega storage project in Adi-inhabited areas and urged the government not to invoke "national interest" to justify a project that, according to the organisation, could cause serious hardship to local communities.

The ABK-U said a consultative meeting of the Adi community held at Geku in Upper Siang on September 16 adopted a four-point resolution demanding the scrapping of the SUMP proposal.

The organisation also demanded cancellation of agreements related to the preparation of the project's pre-feasibility report (PFR), withdrawal of excess security forces deployed in Siang and Upper Siang districts, and reinstatement of village heads who were allegedly suspended for opposing the project.

The proposed SUMP, with an estimated capacity of around 11,000 MW, is being pursued for hydropower generation and water management, besides strategic water security concerns linked to the Siang river.

The ABK-U questioned the government's assessment of local support for activities related to the PFR. Borang alleged that some people were persuaded to sign memoranda of understanding by offering benefits for activities such as poultry farming and fruit gardens.

The organisation has also raised concerns over possible submergence of villages, agricultural land and historical sites, as well as the loss of livelihoods and ancestral land.

In a memorandum submitted to Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Monday, the ABK-U sought an immediate halt to all PFR-related activities and said the project should not be pursued without the free, prior and informed consent of indigenous communities.

It also expressed concerns over ecological and seismic risks in the Himalayan region and the possible impact on downstream communities.

According to the organisation, areas that could be affected include Yingkiong, the headquarters of Upper Siang district, Geku and several villages and historical sites. It claimed that agricultural land on both sides of the Siang and its tributaries could be submerged if the project is implemented.

The ABK-U further demanded the withdrawal of Central Armed Police Forces and excess state police personnel from Siang and Upper Siang districts, along with the revocation of suspension orders against village heads and their reinstatement.

The organisation said it was not opposed to dams as a whole but specifically objected to a mega storage project of the proposed scale in Adi-inhabited areas.

It called for wider consultations involving affected villagers, youth and student organisations, senior citizens and other sections of society before any further steps are taken.

Meanwhile, the state government has maintained that the project is of national importance while stressing that local communities must be taken on board.

Chief Minister Pema Khandu, after a consultative meeting on Monday, said the government was open to discussions and urged people with concerns or questions about the project to approach the authorities for clarification.

"Ultimately, it is a national project, but the public is the owner. It is the land's owner. It is very important to take them on board," Khandu told reporters.

Khandu also called for greater awareness about the project's technical aspects, significance and possible implications, saying the government would conduct more awareness programmes.

He appealed to people in the Siang and Upper Siang basins to support the proposed project while asserting that their concerns would be addressed and local communities would be taken on board before the project is taken forward.a