Arunachal: SIFF Challenges Household Consents for 11,000 MW Mega Dam Project
SIFF spokesperson Tagori Mize revealed RTI findings showing that only 277 out of 429 households in Riga village approved the project.
ITANAGAR- The Siang Indigenous Farmers’ Forum (SIFF) has raised serious objections to the validity of household approvals cited for the Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP), a proposed 11,000 MW mega hydropower project on the Siang River in Arunachal Pradesh.
According to SIFF, discrepancies in the consent process undermine the legitimacy of the pre-feasibility report (PFR) prepared by the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) and supported by the state government. The forum accuses authorities of inflating support figures, misinforming villagers, and bypassing traditional community consultation systems.
In a recent press briefing, SIFF spokesperson Tagori Mize revealed RTI findings showing that only 277 out of 429 households in Riga village approved the project, contrary to the 329 claimed by the Siang Upper Project Multipurpose Dam Committee (SUPMDC).
The forum alleges 17 signatures were falsified and that some households had duplicate signatories (husbands, wives, or children), artificially boosting the approval count.
Mize argued that many villagers were not fully informed of the Memorandum of Understanding’s implications, violating the principle of Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC). The SIFF has demanded a review by the Riga Humbung – Hiram Baane Kebang (RHHBK), the apex village council, noting that elected representatives signed the MoU without consulting the council despite repeated invitations.
The controversy has fueled growing resistance. On July 14, 2025, SIFF mobilized a protest rally in Geku, Upper Siang, drawing thousands of villagers. Demonstrations have since spread to Parong, Riew, and Beging villages, where locals performed nightly rituals by the river to protest survey activities.
Also Read- Scientists, Researchers and Activists Demand Halt to Siang Upper Multipurpose Dam Construction
SIFF’s chief advisor Anong Jongkey declared, “No dam, no survey,” rejecting the government’s claim that 60% of locals support the project. Environmental experts, including retired chief engineer Atop Lego, have also warned that the dam lies in Seismic Zone V, posing major geological risks.
Further controversy erupted when the government deployed Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) to secure NHPC’s drilling operations. Villagers accused the state of militarizing the valley and suppressing dissent. In December 2024, notices were served to village heads in Parong for participating in protests. Human rights lawyer Ebo Mili, who spoke against the project at the UN Forum on Business and Human Rights, reported harassment and detention upon return.
The SUMP, first mooted by NITI Aayog in 2017, proposes a 300-meter-high dam on the Siang River, a key tributary of the Brahmaputra. The Arunachal Pradesh government has pitched it as a strategic countermeasure to China’s upstream dams on the Yarlung Tsangpo, as well as a major source of renewable energy. Estimated at $13.2 billion, the project is designed to generate 11,000–12,500 MW of electricity, mitigate floods, and improve infrastructure.
Also Read- China Begins Construction of World’s Largest Dam Near Arunachal, Sparking Regional Concerns
However, the project has consistently faced stiff opposition from local Adi tribal communities. At least 27 villages in Siang and Upper Siang districts would be directly affected, with fears of displacement, loss of farmland, and ecological destruction.
The Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu has defended the SUMP as a project of “national interest”, citing its strategic role against China’s dam-building and its economic benefits. The state claims that community support is widespread, pointing to MoUs signed in villages like Riga, Pangkang, and Riew.
Environmentalists warn that unchecked dam-building by both India and China on the Brahmaputra basin could cause irreversible ecological damage. With 30 NGOs nationwide supporting SIFF, the resistance movement is gaining momentum.
As tensions mount, the Arunachal government faces the challenge of restoring trust with local communities while balancing national security, environmental protection, and development needs.
