ITANAGAR, July 25: In a boost to hydropower development in Arunachal Pradesh, 98 households of Riew village in Siang district have given their consent for the pre-feasibility report (PFR) of the 11,000 MW Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP).
A memorandum of understanding (MoU) to this effect was signed here on Friday in the presence of Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein, cabinet minister Ojing Tasing, chief secretary Manish Kumar Gupta, Siang deputy commissioner P N Thungon and villagers of Riew.
Officials said Riew is the second-largest village in the Siang belt and the consenting households constitute nearly 62 per cent of the population, marking a turning point in public response to the mega-dam project that once faced stiff resistance in the area.
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Earlier this month, over 300 households from Riga, the largest village in the area and previously a key site of opposition, also gave their consent to the project’s PFR.
Welcoming the development, Mein, who also holds the power portfolio, said the development marks another important milestone in the government’s transformative hydropower initiative, a journey which he termed is rooted in “dialogue, understanding and mutual respect.”
“Being a democratic country with a people-friendly government, we believe in taking the people’s confidence and making them equal partners in development. Through awareness, technical education and trust-building, we’ve brought communities onboard,” he said.
The deputy chief minister further said the SUMP reflects the government’s broader commitment to sustainable and inclusive development.
“From roads to hydropower, every project today echoes the vision of a #ViksitBharat. This MoU reaffirms that inclusive development is possible when the government and the people move forward together, not in opposition, but in understanding,” he said.
The growing support for SUMP comes at a time when China has begun construction of a major dam on the Yarlung Tsangpo river, known downstream as the Brahmaputra, triggering fresh concerns in India and Bangladesh.
While Beijing has defended the project and attempted to allay fears, experts in India have warned of possible long-term implications for water security, water flow regulation, and ecological sustainability. (PTI)
