Guwahati: Arunachal Pradesh’s Upper Siang district witnessed fresh violence on Monday as protests against the proposed Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP) escalated, with demonstrators reportedly setting fire to a CAP camp and damaging several vehicles.
The latest unrest comes days after Chief Minister Pema Khandu invited organisations opposing the proposed hydropower project for talks on October 5, seeking dialogue over their concerns regarding the ongoing Preliminary Feasibility Report (PFR) exercise.
The protests have intensified amid strong opposition to the proposed project and the government’s decision to conduct preliminary feasibility studies in the Siang region. Protesters have been demanding that the survey work be stopped and that affected communities be consulted before any further steps are taken.
The latest confrontation reportedly saw an anti-dam protest turn violent, with a CAP camp being set on fire and several vehicles damaged. The development has further heightened tensions in the district, where protests over the project have intensified in recent days.
The SUMP has faced sustained opposition from sections of local communities, including the Siang Indigenous Farmers’ Forum (SIFF). The forum had been invited by Khandu for discussions scheduled for October 5. However, SIFF subsequently decided not to attend the meeting on Monday, and proposed holding talks after October 11, citing the need for more time to build a collective position.
Khandu has maintained that the ongoing PFR should not be viewed as the beginning of dam construction. He said the current exercise involves preliminary technical studies, including rock-sample collection, and does not entail land acquisition or the loss of agricultural or forest land.
The Chief Minister has also said that if the project is found technically and economically viable after completion of the PFR, it would have to undergo further stages, including a Social Impact Assessment, Environment Impact Assessment and preparation of a Detailed Project Report. Public consultations would also be required before any final decision on construction, he said.
The latest violence has added to concerns over the deteriorating law-and-order situation in Upper Siang as opposition to the proposed hydropower project continues.