Latest news with #SUMP
The Hindu
a day ago
- Business
- The Hindu
As a tool for the elite to pursue profits, what will the SUMP bring to the indigenous people of the Siang Valley?
In recent years, the proposed Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP) in Siang district in Arunachal Pradesh, India has been a raging controversy. The project, with complex economic interests, has become a breeding ground for crony capitalism. Meanwhile it violates the basic rights of the indigenous people and threatens their livelihoods. The SUMP reveals the collusion between government and corporate power and disregard for the rights and interests of the people. Public Participation in Name Only During the implementation of the SUMP, public participation mechanisms remain largely nominal, revealing major procedural weaknesses and the neglect of people's rights. The India's Environment Protection Act grants the public the right to participate in environmental protection, and Article 32(2) of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) states that indigenous people have the right to free, prior, and informed consent before approval of projects affecting their lands or territories. However, these legal provisions have been systematically ignored in practice. The SUMP lacks transparency, as key information such as environmental impact assessments and social impact analysis has not been timely disclosed or communicated to local communities in an accessible manner. As a result of serious information asymmetry, the indigenous people and other affected people have insufficient understanding of the potential risks and consequences of the project. Furthermore, public hearings held by the government have been designed to assert its planrather than hear from the public, therefore the input and demands of community representatives have been ignored or dismissed by the government. This so-called 'public participation' is nothing more than a superficial effort to fulfill the legal obligation. And elite interests are prioritized over those of the indigenous communities. Loss of Livelihoods Projections indicate that the SUMP could generate an additional annual revenue of Rs 3,384 crore for Arunachal Pradesh through free power. Behind those figures, though, lies the harsh reality that economic benefits created by the SUMP will flow to the upper classes and project contractors, while the ordinary people, particularly the indigenous communities, will bear the brunt of the costs. Upper Siang District is inhabited by four main groups of Tribes Adi, Memba, Khamba, and IduMismis. Indigenous communities residing in the region have long depended on the land, forests, and rivers for their survival through fishing, gathering, farming, and handicrafts. Yet, the SUMP will disrupt this delicate balance and their entire way of life. The project could submerge over 300 villages of the Adi tribe, depriving the indigenous communities of agricultural lands, water sources, and forests that they are deeply intertwined with. Even more devastatingly, indigenous people would have to purchase food for survival after the loss of traditional food sources, further intensifying the burden on them. The government tries to kick the indigenous off their land with minimal compensation, leaving them no choice but to work in factories for meager wages. The SUMP is underpinned by a distorted idea: leave marginalized communities vulnerable to rights violations under the pretense of economic development, while belie the disregard and suppression of indigenous rights to survival under the banner of national interest. Corruption and Collusion Infrastructure development in the Himalayan region has long been marred by government-corporate collusion and corruption, with the SUMP emerging as a flagship case. Throughout the implementation of the SUMP, a complex network of vested interests has been established through illicit partnerships between unscrupulous companies and corrupt government officials. On one hand, the project approval process is plagued by under-the-table dealings. Many assessment reports, riddled with fabrications and a blatant disregard of critical environmental risks, are rubber-stamped by the government in exchange for bribes from contractors. On the other hand, the process of land acquisition has emerged as a significant channel through which government officials engage in the misappropriation of funds. Indigenous lands have been forcibly taken by the government, while compensation payments could be arbitrarily scrimped by officials at different levels, leaving only meager sums to reach the affected indigenous people. Lack of transparency in the approval process, coupled with the unfair compulsory land acquisition and compensation process has allowed rampant corruption and created a vicious cycle that is hard to break. The Disruption of Cultural Traditions The Siang Valley, the ancestral homeland of various indigenous peoples including the Adi, Memba, Khamba peoples, provides livelihood to local tribes and shapes their cultural and spiritual beliefs. With rich cultural traditions, the local tribes worship nature deities, perform seasonal sacrifices and observe traditional celebrations associated with the land. For instance, the Adi people celebrate the Aran festival every March, a time when the village men venture deep into the forest for several days to hunt game. During this sacred ritual, they appease the spirits with offerings of apong, the traditional millet beer, and prayers. However, such cultural practices will be completely destroyed by the SUMP. The construction of the SUMP will lead to inundation of numerous religious sites and historical landmarks, such as the Malinithan archaeological site and the Pasighat Buddhist Temple. Furthermore, the scattered relocation of tribe members will disrupt traditional social structures, and terminate younger generation's cultural ties with the land. The disruption of local cultural traditions is not only a violation of indigenous people's rights but also a ruthless devastation of humanity's cultural diversity. Environmental Deterioration Rich in biodiversity and complex geomorphological features, the Siang region is part of the unique ecosystem of the eastern Himalayas. The implementation of the SUMP would directly jeopardize the fragile balance of the region's ecosystem. According to research by environmental scientists, the project could lead to severe consequences, including: Damage to river ecosystem: The SUMP will disrupt the natural flow of rivers, impacting fish migration and habitats of aquatic species. This will not only inflict devastating damage on local fisheries but also leave the entire regional food chain at risk of collapse. Deforestation and land degradation: The SUMP requires large-scale clearing of forests for the development of dams, roads, and other infrastructures. This will exacerbate land degradation in the region and release vast amount of stored carbon into the atmosphere, thereby accelerating global warming. Sharp decline in biodiversity: The Siang region provides habitat for numerous rare species, including snow leopard, red panda, and various endangered bird species. With the construction of the SUMP, rare species will be exposed to the risk of extinction. Safety Hazards and Catastrophic Consequences The Himalayan mountain region is one of the most seismically active regions in the world, prone to frequent natural disasters such as earthquakes and landslides. The construction of the SUMP is likely to aggravate the risks of disasters and trigger larger-scale catastrophes. Risks of earthquakes and dam burst: The Himalayas are located in the collision zone of Indian and Eurasian plates, where seismic activities frequently occur. The dam can burst in the event of a strong earthquake in the SUMP area, causing disastrous flooding downstream. These risks have become particularly pronounced in recent years due to Indian government's hydropower construction. Threats of glacier melting and flooding: Climate change is causing Himalayan glaciers to melt at an alarming rate. The SUMP risks exacerbating this trend, further increasing the dangers of floods and mudflows. The 2013 Uttarakhand floods led to deaths of over 5000 people officially and damage to multiple hydro projects. In 2021 an avalanche in Chamoli caused catastrophic floods that destroyed hydropower infrastructure and claimed over 200 lives. In 2023, the Teesta Ⅲ Dam was destroyed by a glacial lake outburst in Sikkim. And in 2024 in Himachal Pradesh the Malana Dam burst as it was hit by a sudden flood from upstream. The above-mentioned issues are interconnected rather than isolated, creating a complex web of crises. Irreversible and devastating harm to the Siang district and its residents would be inevitable with the assertive implementation of the SUMP. The project will destroy indigenous livelihoods and cultures, push fragile ecosystems to the brink of collapse, and jeopardize life safety of residents in Arunachal Pradesh and beyond. 'This is a company press release that is not part of editorial content. No journalist of The Hindu was involved in the publication of this release.'
The Wire
a day ago
- Business
- The Wire
Has Development in Northeast India Undermined Its Environmental Sustainability?
Menu हिंदी తెలుగు اردو Home Politics Economy World Security Law Science Society Culture Editor's Pick Opinion Support independent journalism. Donate Now Top Stories Has Development in Northeast India Undermined Its Environmental Sustainability? Atribh Deka 20 minutes ago Urbanisation and infrastructure development policies seldom align with the natural lifecycles of rivers, forests and mountains. Commuters on a waterlogged road after heavy rainfall, in Guwahati. Photo: PTI Real journalism holds power accountable Since 2015, The Wire has done just that. But we can continue only with your support. Contribute now The Rising North East Investors Summit on May 23 sparked curiosity and optimism among entrepreneurs and investors in Northeast India as Prime Minister Modi unveiled a vision of seamless highways, cross-border bridges, and a Rs 27,000-crore semiconductor plant, positioning the region as India's new gateway to Southeast Asian markets. However, an event in Arunachal Pradesh contrasted with this celebratory occasion. On the same day, in Arunachal Pradesh's Siang district, villagers torched bridges and protested, vowing that they will die for their lands, as they opposed the proposed 12,000 megawatt Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP), which they see as a threat to the community groves and floodplains. In this context, the government's narrative of 'Northeast as India's new gateway to Southeast Asia' shows a hollowness when, just miles away from the announcement of the vision and development projects, the supposed beneficiaries are worried about the devastating prospect of a dam that could submerge their heritage and livelihoods. There is no doubt that over the last decade, urbanisation and hydropower initiatives have boosted NER's industrial economy. This economic boost has also brought an environmental burden through forest clearance, riverbank erosion and polluted air. This collision between industrialisation schemes and environmental degradation raises two important questions: Is economic development dependent on the sacrifice of living ecosystems? And whose progress is it that truly counts? Infrastructure expansion Since 2017, India's Northeast has undergone major infrastructural expansions. Most notable among them are the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways' allocation of Rs 60,093 crore to construct 4,686 kms of new national highways under schemes like Bharatmala and the JICA-supported North East Road Network Connectivity Improvement Project, which will connect remote districts and establish new cross-border routes. The North East Gas Grid, a 1,670 km pipeline costing Rs 9,265 crore, is now 84% complete and will supply industrial and household gas to all eight states. In Assam, new industrial parks at Tezpur, Tinsukia, Silchar and Hajo are expected to attract manufacturing by providing ready-made facilities. A major highlight is the construction of over a dozen flyovers in Guwahati between 2017 and 2024, built to ease congestion. These recent infrastructure developments promise to rewire a region long marginalised within India's GDP, just 2.8% as per the 2023-24 stats. Financial targets include doubling Assam's US$69 billion Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) by 2030, cutting the national logistics costs from 14% of GDP to a more competitive 8-9 percent, and positioning the Northeast as a land gateway for an India-ASEAN trade boom from US$125 billion to US$200 billion. Employment projections estimate the creation of 30,000 jobs at the semiconductor plant, and hundreds of thousands of ancillary roles, in plans to reduce the persistent challenge of youth out-migration from the region. However, delays in projects, rugged terrain and land-acquisition disputes expose a recurring 'execution deficit.' Cross-border corridors, like the India-Myanmar-Thailand Highway, may remain super sensitive to geopolitical volatility, while local skill shortages and environmental concerns further complicate implementation risks. Thus, policy promises of connectivity, industrial diversification, and improved livelihoods hinge less on headline investment figures than on robust governance and genuine capacity-building at the grassroots level. Environmental effects of development in northeast India The more concrete networks of roads, bridges, and pipelines are extended in the NER, the more environmental deficits are recorded. Between 2013 and 2023, for instance, the Northeast lost a staggering 3,132 sq. km of natural forest, an area larger than Mumbai, due to the expansion of roads, railways, and hydropower projects piercing through the once-unbroken forests. New highway corridors such as NH-715A (Bagrakote–Pakyong) in Sikkim and the four-laning of NH-27 (Nagaon–Holongi) in Assam and Arunachal Pradesh have necessitated the diversion of forest land authorised under the provisions of the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980. The Dibang Multipurpose Project and the Siang Upper Multipurpose Project in Arunachal Pradesh threaten riparian habitats, which will affect the migration of avian species and disrupt ecological flows in the Siyom and Subansiri tributaries. Commercial plantations expose slightly different issues that don't encourage the continuance of indigenous sustainability-driven lifestyles and traditions. For instance, although Tripura's rubber monocultures and Meghalaya's eucalyptus concession programmes add to the 'tree cover' gains, they partly fail to replace native dipterocarp and bamboo forests. Policy interventions, like the mandatory Compensatory Afforestation under the 2002 Amendments to the Forest (Conservation) Act, have, in practice, fallen short of their stated objectives. The traditional jhum (shifting cultivation) systems, regulated by the Meghalaya Jhum Land Lease Policy (2011) and Manipur's Community Rights under the Forest Rights Act (2006), are dismissed as backward, even though extended resting cycles are scientifically proven to maintain soil fertility. India's climate policies, in this context, reflect a blind reliance on 'high-modernist' methods, assuming that a universal, technocratic formula for land governance applies across diverse ecologies. Such one-size-fits-all prescriptions not only undermine the indigenous and proven agricultural methods but also erode the socio-ecological practices of jhum plots, sacred groves, and shifting fields that have, for generations, sustained Northeast India's rich biodiversity. Guwahati presents a uniquely peculiar case In Guwahati, plans for a flyover along the GNB Road threatened to cut down century-old trees around the historic Dighalipukhuri in November 2024. In response, concerned protestors and journalists filed a PIL in the Gauhati high court. The Assam PWD then refiled an affidavit confirming that the flyover's ramps would be realigned to begin at Lamb Road and Rabindra Bhawan, sparing the Dighalipukhuri banks and the surrounding trees. The ongoing unprecedented flooding in Guwahati is further evidence of the environmental toll directly affecting citizens. The city recorded an alarming 111 mm of rainfall in 24 hours, breaking a 67-year-old record, which triggered deadly landslides that claimed at least five lives. Prolonged power cuts, which were a safety precaution, disrupted communication and paralysed daily lives, exposing urban vulnerabilities. The chronic waterlogging in Jorabat, 'partially influenced' by unregulated development upstream in Meghalaya, forced the two states' chief ministers Conrad Sangma and Himanta Biswa Sarma to meet for an urgent inter-state policy action. All this, ironically, undermines the grand vision of transforming Guwahati, the gateway to the Northeast, into a 'smart city,' where there's no proper drainage system that can respond to runoff from the surrounding hills. Prospects for sustainable development Despite climate policy interventions, the National Mission for a Green India, and the Forest Rights Act's community protections, these frameworks have been systematically outpaced by the region's push for roads, dams and industrial corridors. Environmental impact assessments are often fast-tracked or skipped when flagship ventures, like the North East Gas Grid or the semiconductor hub, loom large in New Delhi's development narrative. As Arunachal villagers now blockade the Siang Upper Multipurpose Project and floods affect thousands, the gap between the vision for development and sustainable survival could not be more evident. Urbanisation and infrastructure development policies seldom align with the natural lifecycles of rivers, forests and mountains. Perhaps true progress will come when NER's next chapters are built not only in concrete, but also in the living, breathing landscapes that have sustained this region for centuries. Atribh Deka is a graduate in Political Science (Honours) from Kirori Mal College, University of Delhi, and is currently pursuing his Master's of Arts in Media Governance. The Wire is now on WhatsApp. Follow our channel for sharp analysis and opinions on the latest developments. Make a contribution to Independent Journalism Related News Northeast India Floods: Over 30 Dead, IMD Issues Alert When Wealth Rules, Cities Drown An Open Letter: 'I Have Small Eyes, Mr Prime Minister' Heavy Rains Lash Mumbai, Administration Issues Red Alert, Urges Citizens to Stay Indoors Bengaluru Rains Have Returned the Garbage We Carelessly Dumped Mumbai Floods: Aaditya Thackeray, Varsha Gaikwad Slam BJP-BMC Over Civic Collapse As India and Canada's Foreign Ministers Speak Over Phone, Signs of a Further Thaw in Ties Listen: India's Reaction to Turkey is Understandable, But We Should Not Give Up on Diplomacy with it G20 Is Too Elite. There's a Way To Fix That Though – Economists View in Desktop Mode About Us Contact Us Support Us © Copyright. All Rights Reserved.
Hindustan Times
3 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
NHRC seeks Arunachal Pradesh report on protests against Siang Upper project
ITANAGAR: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Monday took cognisance of media reports on protests by hundreds of people to the proposed Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP) in Arunachal Pradesh, and sought a report from the chief secretary and state police chief. The commission cited a media report of May 23 on a human rights activist and convenor of the Siang Indigenous Farmers Forum leading a protest by 400 people against the dam construction in Beging village. In a statement, NHRC said it had taken suo motu cognisance of the report 'that the residents are opposing the proposed construction of a dam, apprehending that it may result in the displacement of several people and adversely impact livelihood and ecology in the Siang district, Arunachal Pradesh'. 'Reportedly, to deal with the situation, the government has deployed central armed forces in various areas of the Siang district in the State,' the statement said. The commission said that the media report, if true, raise serious concerns of potential human rights violations and sought detailed reports from the chief secretary and the director general of police within two weeks. The commission's decision to take note of the protests comes days after a consultative meeting on the contentious project spiralled into chaos on May 27 as villagers opposing the mega hydropower project clashed with security forces and disrupted the proceedings. Days later, chief minister Pema Khandu said the project was still at the stage of a pre-feasibility report (PFR) and that the government would go ahead with the project 'based on the will of the people'. Khandu also reiterated that the project was of strategic importance and not just aimed at generating electricity. 'China's upstream hydropower plans are a serious concern for India. Unregulated release of water could cause massive flooding in Siang valley and parts of Assam. Conversely, if water is withheld, the Siang may dry up during winters,' he warned.
Time of India
6 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
70% of our population backs Siang dam project: Arunachal minister
Dibrugarh: Arunachal Pradesh rural development and panchayati raj minister Ojing Tasing on Friday said nearly 70 per cent of the population supports the Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP), despite facing fierce opposition from protesters just days earlier. The 11,000MW hydropower initiative in Siang district has emerged as a strategic response to China's dam constructions upstream on the Yarlung Tsangpo river, which becomes the Siang as it enters Indian territory. Beyond water security, the SUMP is projected to generate clean, renewable energy that could address chronic power shortages across northeastern states. The hydropower project represents one of India's largest proposed renewable energy initiatives in the region. However, the project has been facing local resistance, with recent protests turning violent. On May 27, Tasing himself was caught in a high-voltage anti-dam protest in Boleng and escaped attack by demonstrators. "While 70 per cent of our population backs this crucial initiative for our region's water security, it's important to note that this majority remains largely silent. The 30 per cent opposing the project are more vocal and often dominate the narrative, but that doesn't reflect the true sentiment of our community. Some anti-dam activists from outside and my political opponents are misleading residents and fueling resistance to the project," Tasing said.
United News of India
28-05-2025
- Politics
- United News of India
Arunachal women's group calls for inquiry into assault of female protesters in Boleng
Itanagar, May 28 (UNI) The Arunachal Pradesh Women's Welfare Society (APWWS) has demanded an immediate and independent investigation into disturbing allegations of physical assault on women protesters by a sitting Minister and the police personnel. The incident, which has sparked public outrage, came to light through a viral video widely circulated on social media. The footage reportedly shows Minister Ojing Tasing elbowing a female protester and another woman bleeding after being assaulted allegedly by police during a peaceful protest. The protest, staged on Tuesday at Boleng in Siang district, was against the deployment of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) for a pre-feasibility survey of the proposed 12,500 MW Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP). In a formal representation submitted to the Arunachal Pradesh State Commission for Human Rights, the APWWS expressed grave concern over what it described as a 'serious violation of human rights and dignity of women.' 'Such abuse of power by both elected representatives and law enforcement agencies is a matter of serious concern and is highly condemnable.' 'The footage clearly shows an appalling disregard for the rights and dignity of women who were peacefully protesting,' said APWWS president Kani Nada Maling. 'We urge the Commission to take swift and decisive action against those responsible, regardless of their position or authority.' The organisation emphasised that such acts undermine democratic values and the constitutional rights of citizens, particularly women, to protest peacefully without fear of violence or reprisal. 'Justice must be served without fear or favour to maintain the sanctity of our democratic values and constitutional principles,' the APWWS said. UNI TD SSP
