Siang Upper Multipurpose Project protests intensify in Arunachal, clashes leave protesters, CRPF personnel seriously injured

Protests over the proposed Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP) intensified in Arunachal Pradesh’s Siang region with clashes between protesters and security personnel reported at Riga and Ugeng during ongoing Pre-Feasibility Report (PFR) activities.

Several Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel, including an Assistant Commandant, and protesters were reportedly injured in the confrontations. The exact number of people injured has not yet been officially confirmed.

The clashes took place amid opposition to the proposed multipurpose project and the ongoing PFR-related activities in the region. Local communities opposing the project have raised concerns over its potential impact on land, livelihoods, displacement, biodiversity and ancestral territories.

The Arunachal Pradesh government has maintained that the PFR is only an initial technical assessment and does not constitute a final decision on the implementation of the project. The government has also called for dialogue with communities affected by or concerned about the proposed project.

The SUMP has remained a contentious issue in the Siang region, with sections of local communities opposing activities associated with the project over concerns about its potential social, environmental and economic impact.