North Lakhimpur: A solidarity foot march opposing the proposed 11.2 gigawatt (GW) Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP) in Arunachal Pradesh has reached Assam’s Lakhimpur district, with participants continuing their approximately 400-km journey towards Itanagar to press for the release of detained protesters and a halt to project-related activities.
Organised by the Adi Galo Welfare Society (AGWS), the march began on November 4 from Geku village in Upper Siang district. The participants are raising concerns over the proposed mega hydropower project on the Siang river and its potential environmental and social impact.
The protesters are demanding the release of activists and demonstrators detained during earlier anti-dam protests, withdrawal of what they describe as excessive deployment of security forces in the project affected areas, and a halt to the pre-feasibility report (PFR) process and related activities.
The march has passed through areas including Pasighat and Jonai before reaching Lakhimpur, where it has drawn local participation and attention to the concerns of communities set to be affected by the proposed project.
Speaking to Northeast Now during the march, AGWS president Geyi Bagra said residents of the Siang belt are concerned over what the organisation described as the imposition of the PFR process and the arrests of people opposing the project.
Bagra alleged that the government was advancing the proposed dam without adequately consulting local communities and that protesters had faced repeated arrests and heavy security deployment.
“Our demand is that the public should not be treated like this. The government must hold peaceful talks, withdraw all arrests, revoke the suspensions of our Gaon Burahs (village elders) and government employees, and pull back the security forces,” he said.
Bagra also called for dialogue with the affected communities instead of what he described as high-handed measures.
The AGWS said the foot march was intended to highlight the grievances of communities in the Siang region and press the government to address their concerns over the proposed project.