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The Hindu

Pangkang villagers sign MoU for Siang upper project amid local dissent

GUWAHATI Amid resistance from nearby areas, residents of Pangkang village in Arunachal Pradesh signed a memorandum of understanding with the State government on Friday (May 23, 2025), paving the way for a pre-feasibility study on the proposed Siang Upper Multi-purpose Project (SUMP) in Boleng, Siang district. A statement issued by the Department of Information and Public Relations described the agreement as a 'new beginning in community and government cooperation' aimed at exploring 'possible avenues for long-term local and regional prosperity along with national security.' The Deputy Commissioner of Siang, P.N. Thungon, signed the agreement on behalf of the State Government, with Taba Tamut and Bakin Tali representing the villagers. The event was attended by the Minister for Panchayati Raj, Transport, and Cooperation, Ojing Tasing, and the Bharatiya Janata Party's State general secretary, Nalong Mize. Mr. Thungon said the 11,000 MW project, if deemed viable and implemented, 'promises transformative benefits for the local community besides strategic defence and environmental resilience.' According to the terms of the MoU, a development package of ₹5 crore is to be disbursed over three years for the enhancement of infrastructure, healthcare, and livelihood programmes for project-affected families. It also mandates stakeholder consultations as the project progresses. Officials underscored the strategic significance of the SUMP, noting its role in counterbalancing China's extensive hydropower infrastructure on the Yarlung Tsangpo - the upstream segment of the Siang River in Tibet - while simultaneously offering economic empowerment and access to clean, sustainable energy to the local population. 'The villagers of Pangkang [also called Kumku] have shown incredible wisdom and maturity by deciding to cooperate with the government in the conduct of a pre-feasibility report for SUMP,' Mr. Thungon said. 'This is not only about power or water; it is about harnessing the potential of River Siang for the collective prosperity of the local area, the State, and the nation.'