Itanagar, May 23: Residents of the Siang region have launched an indefinite protest against the deployment of armed personnel to conduct surveys for the contentious 11,000 MW Siang Upper Multipurpose Project. Protesters from 27 villages gathered on Friday, voicing fierce opposition to what they describe as a militarised and unilateral process undermining local consent and environmental safeguards.
Holding placards reading “No Dam, No Survey,” villagers expressed deep concern over the presence of armed forces, who have established makeshift camps covered in blue tarpaulin across the area. Locals view the move as an escalation in what they consider a civilian matter rooted in land rights and ecological protection.
“We oppose the survey. We do not want this dam. It will destroy our ecology and displace hundreds of families,” said a protesting villager. “If built, the dam will flood downstream areas and devastate our livelihoods.”
Student unions and local civil society groups have also condemned the deployment of security forces, calling it a form of intimidation rather than a step towards meaningful dialogue. They argue that such actions erode trust and bypass proper consultation with the affected communities.
The Siang River, the main channel of the Brahmaputra as it enters India from Tibet, is a vital water source for Northeast India. The proposed hydropower project promises to generate over 11,000 megawatts of electricity, along with benefits such as flood control and irrigation.
However, the Arunachal Pradesh government and the central administration in New Delhi defend the project as a matter of national security. Chief Minister Pema Khandu has repeatedly underscored the dam’s strategic importance in countering China’s massive 60,000 MW Medog Dam on the Yarlung Tsangpo River upstream in Tibet.
Despite these assurances, opposition on the ground remains unrelenting, with protesters vowing to continue their agitation until the survey is withdrawn and the project shelved.
