Major breakthrough for Arunachal’s mega-dam plan as Riew village backs Siang Upper project

Giving a boost to Arunachal Pradesh’s hydropower ambitions, 98 households of Riew village in Siang district have formally given their consent for the pre-feasibility report (PFR) of the 11,000 MW Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP), marking a major shift in local sentiment toward the previously contested mega-dam proposal.

A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed on Friday in the presence of Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein, cabinet minister Ojing Tasing, Chief Secretary Manish Kumar Gupta, Siang Deputy Commissioner P.N. Thungon, and villagers of Riew. Officials confirmed that the consenting households represent nearly 62% of Riew’s population—making the village’s nod a turning point in public support for SUMP. Riew is the second-largest village in the Siang belt, a region that had witnessed vocal opposition to the project in earlier years.

The development follows another major breakthrough earlier this month when over 300 households from Riga—the largest and once most resistant village in the region—also gave their green signal to the project’s PFR.

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Welcoming the shift, Deputy CM Mein, who also holds the power portfolio, described the milestone as part of the state government’s people-centric approach to infrastructure development. “Being a democratic country with a people-friendly government, we believe in taking the people's confidence and making them equal partners in development,” he said, emphasising the role of dialogue, awareness, and trust-building in winning community support.

Mein also underscored that the SUMP is not merely a power project but a cornerstone of Arunachal’s long-term commitment to sustainable and inclusive growth. “From roads to hydropower, every project today echoes the vision of a #ViksitBharat. This MoU reaffirms that inclusive development is possible when the government and the people move forward together,” he added.

The renewed momentum for the SUMP comes amid growing geopolitical concerns. China has begun constructing a major dam on the Yarlung Tsangpo river—known as the Brahmaputra in India and Bangladesh—raising alarms over potential downstream impacts. While Beijing has played down fears, Indian experts warn of possible threats to water security, ecological balance, and river flow regulation.

Against this backdrop, India’s renewed push for upstream hydropower projects in Arunachal is being seen not just as a developmental priority but also a strategic imperative.