Arunachal: Protests Erupt in Siang Over Mega-Dam Project
On May 21, videos and photographs surfaced showing security personnel setting up camps in Beging, Geku, Yingkiong, and Boleng, sparking outrage among residents.
YINGKIONG– Tensions are running high in Siang and Upper Siang districts as local communities, primarily from the Adi tribe, stage protests against the proposed 11,000 MW Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP).
The demonstrations, which intensified this week, are in response to the deployment of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) to facilitate a pre-feasibility survey for the dam, which locals fear will displace villages, harm the environment, and threaten their cultural heritage.
On May 21, videos and photographs surfaced showing security personnel setting up camps in Beging, Geku, Yingkiong, and Boleng, sparking outrage among residents.
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The Siang Indigenous Farmers’ Forum (SIFF), leading the protests, estimates that 40 villages could be affected by the dam, including the district headquarters of Yingkiong. “We will not let the government construct this dam,” a SIFF spokesperson emphasizing the threat to local biodiversity and livelihoods.
Tensions once again escalated on Friday, in the Upper Siang after police reportedly barred several groups of indigenous villagers from Geku Circle from joining an indefinite dharna organized by the Siang Indigenous Farmers Forum (SIFF) at Beging.
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According to local sources, dozens of villagers attempted to march peacefully toward Beging early Thursday morning to join the sit-in. However, they were intercepted at multiple checkpoints by police forces, who cited “security and administrative concerns” for turning them back.
Eyewitnesses claim that the police presence was significant, and no formal explanation or written order was provided to justify the restriction. “We were simply told to turn back. No one was violent, no one had weapons—we were going to raise our voice in a peaceful manner,” Advocate Bhanu Tatak
The SIFF’s ongoing protest has drawn support from civil society groups, environmentalists, and human rights advocates across the Northeast, who view the police action as a troubling infringement on democratic rights.
The SUMP, touted as India’s largest hydropower project at an estimated cost of Rs 1.13 lakh crore, is seen by the government as a strategic counter to China’s 60,000 MW dam on the Yarlung Tsangpo River in Tibet, which could disrupt water flow into the Siang River.
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Earlier Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu has defended the project, stating it is not just for hydropower but to regulate water flow and mitigate flood risks from potential Chinese water releases. “This is a project of national importance,” Khandu said sevral time, accusing anti-dam activists of spreading misinformation.
However, locals remain unconvinced. Local farmers voice concerns about displacement: “We don’t want our children to grow up as refugees, separated from their land.” Protesters have also criticized the lack of transparency, with some alleging the project’s capacity was expanded without proper studies.
Over 350 individuals and organizations have petitioned President Droupadi Murmu to withdraw the CAPF deployment.
As protests continue, the Siang valley remains a flashpoint for the clash between development, national security, and indigenous rights. The outcome of this standoff could shape the future of hydropower projects in the ecologically fragile Himalayas.
