Will go ahead with Siang dam only after public nod, says Arunachal CM amid protests

Hindustan Times

a day ago

Itanagar: Arunachal Pradesh chief minister Pema Khandu on Friday said a public hearing would be conducted once the pre-feasibility report for the proposed Siang Upper Multipurpose Hydropower Project (SUMHP) is completed and underlined that the consent of local residents would be key to the government's decision on the project.
The chief minister's comments come days after a meeting on the pre-feasibility report (PFR) for the contentious project in Upper Siang district spiralled into chaos on May 27 after villagers opposing the mega hydropower project stormed into the meeting and disrupted the proceedings.
Khandu stressed that the PFR was a preliminary, non-intrusive assessment only focused on geological viability.
'Once the PFR is complete, we will hold a public hearing and only proceed based on the will of the people,' he said. The report, he noted, will identify the likely submergence areas, the number of affected villages, and necessary mitigation measures.
Khanu said the project was of strategic value and was not just a project aimed at generating electricity. 'This is not just a hydropower project. It is a national security necessity,' he said.
The chief minister pointed to China's plans to construct a 60,000 MW project near the Indian border.
'China's unilateral dam construction poses serious challenges to the flow of the Siang River. If they release excess water, it could trigger devastating floods in Arunachal Pradesh and Assam. Conversely, if they withhold water, the river could reduce to a narrow stream in winter,' Khandu said.
In December, China approved the construction of what will be the world's biggest hydropower dam on the eastern rim of the ecologically fragile Tibetan plateau. The approval triggered concerns about the impact of the dam, which could affect millions downstream in India and Bangladesh.
Khandu said China was not a signatory to the United Nations Watercourses Convention and, as such, is not legally obligated to share hydrological data or consult with downstream nations on transboundary rivers. 'In the absence of a water-sharing treaty, we must act responsibly and construct necessary safeguards on our side,' he said.
Drawing a comparison with the Indus Water Treaty between India and Pakistan, Khandu warned that during hostilities or national emergencies, such treaties may be suspended, leaving countries exposed. 'We must prepare for all contingencies. Water security is as critical as national defence,' he added.
Khandu also affirmed that both the state and central governments are on the same page regarding the project. 'Let the PFR be completed first. Only then will we comprehensively address all technical, environmental, and social aspects, including compensation and rehabilitation,' he said.
The project has faced resistance from civil society groups. The Siang Indigenous Farmers Forum (SIFF), in particular, has been vocal against the project, accusing the government and local legislators of pushing the plan without adequate research or public consultation.
'Villagers are mostly unaware of the dam's implications. Ground verification and awareness drives should have been conducted much earlier,' SIFF spokesperson Talong Mize said recently, demanding greater transparency and the involvement of subject-matter experts to explain the project's environmental and technical dimensions to affected communities.