Sonam Wangchuk seeks President Murmu’s intervention over proposed Siang mega dam, flags concerns over protests

Ladakh-based innovator and climate activist Sonam Wangchuk has written to President Droupadi Murmu, seeking her urgent intervention over the growing tensions surrounding the proposed 11,200-MW Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP) in Arunachal Pradesh, citing concerns over the rights of indigenous communities, environmental risks and the handling of protests against the project.

In a letter dated November 3, Wangchuk expressed concern over the situation in the Siang Valley, alleging that villagers opposing the proposed mega dam were facing intimidation and that thousands of security personnel had been deployed in the region.

He also raised concerns over the arrest of young activists, restrictions on movement and alleged pressure on local residents. Describing the labelling of indigenous people peacefully opposing the project as "anti-national" as deeply disturbing, Wangchuk called for greater sensitivity towards the concerns of the affected communities.

Highlighting the significance of the Siang River to the Adi community, Wangchuk said the river was closely linked to their cultural identity, traditions and livelihoods. Drawing parallels with the relationship between the people of Ladakh and their glaciers and rivers, he cautioned that the proposed project could have far-reaching implications for ancestral lands and the ecologically fragile Himalayan region.

Referring to his experience with environmental movements in Ladakh, Wangchuk underlined the need for constitutional safeguards to protect the rights of indigenous communities and ecologically sensitive regions. He stressed that concerns surrounding large infrastructure projects in such areas should be addressed through democratic consultations and meaningful engagement with local residents.

Wangchuk urged the President to facilitate an open dialogue between the government and affected communities before any decisions are taken on the proposed project. He emphasised that the concerns of people living in strategically important border regions must be taken into account, adding that their trust and cooperation were essential to the country's strategic interests.

The proposed Siang Upper Multipurpose Project has faced sustained opposition from sections of the Adi community in Arunachal Pradesh. Residents opposing the project have expressed concerns over possible displacement, environmental degradation, loss of biodiversity and the impact on their ancestral and cultural heritage.

The proposed 11,200-MW project has also acquired strategic significance amid concerns over China's large-scale hydropower development on the upper reaches of the Yarlung Tsangpo river in Tibet, which flows into India as the Siang and subsequently becomes the Brahmaputra.