Arunachal govt-villagers ink deal for Siang multipurpose project feasibility study

The Arunachal Pradesh government and villagers of Pangkang (Kumku) in Siang district, on May 23, signed an MoU to initiate the preliminary feasibility report (PFR) for the ambitious Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP) at Boleng in the district.

The proposed project, if deemed feasible, promises transformative socio-economic benefits for the local community while serving as a strategic countermeasure to China’s aggressive hydropower infrastructure development on the Yarlung Tsangpo, the upstream section of the Siang River in Tibet, an official statement said.

Designed not only to generate clean energy, but also to enhance environmental resilience and safeguard downstream river flows, the 11,000 MW project is considered a critical component of India’s water security and national interest in the Northeast, it added.

The MoU includes a special development package of Rs 5 crore to be implemented over three years.

According to the statement, a newly formed village development committee (VDC), consisting of likely project-affected families, will oversee infrastructure upgrades, healthcare services and livelihood programmes, ensuring inclusive and equitable growth for the community.

Importantly, the agreement guarantees continued consultation with local stakeholders, reflecting the government's commitment to participatory development.

Siang deputy commissioner P N Thungon signed the MoU on behalf of the government, alongside village leaders Taba Tamut and Bakin Tali, who reflected the broad consensus and support of the local community.

Present at the event were state Panchayati Raj, Transport, and Cooperation Minister Ojing Tasing, hydro power joint secretary Hage Lailang; Hydropower Chief Engineer Atek Miyu; and state BJP general secretary and government Emissary Nalong Mize.

"This is not only about power or water. It is about harnessing the potential of Siang River for the collective prosperity of the local area, state and nation," Thungon said.

The project to be executed by the National Hydro Electric Power Corporation (NHPC) is facing stiff opposition from various tribal bodies of the region led by Siang Indigenous Farmers' Forum (SIFF).

The SIFF is of the apprehension that the project would affect more than 40 villages in the region.

The SUMP, touted as India's largest hydropower project at an estimated cost of Rs 1.13 lakh crore, is seen by the government as a strategic counter to China's 60,000 MW dam on the Yarlung Tsangpo River in Tibet, which could disrupt water flow into the Siang River.