ITANAGAR, Dec 18: Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Wednesday alleged that misinformation was being spread by activists from outside the state about the 12,500 MW Siang Upper Multipurpose Project.
Speaking to reporters after inaugurating an integrated sports complex and other infrastructure projects at the Police Training Centre in Banderdewa near here, Khandu emphasised that the Siang project is more than just a dam.
“I have time and again said that this is not only about constructing Siang dam… it is a multipurpose project. This is a big project, and there are some people who are creating confusion among the masses,” he said.
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The chief minister said that it has come to his knowledge that several activists from outside the state are staying in villages and misleading the local populace about the project.
“I assure you that I will address this issue. Tomorrow, I will share the details and the viewpoints of both the state and central governments,” Khandu said.
He stressed that while the state respects democratic rights, it is his duty to share the truth about the project with the people.
The day also marked the commissioning of the 49th batch of 885 new recruits of the Arunachal Pradesh Police at the PTC.
Meanwhile, residents of Komkar village in Upper Siang district on Wednesday staged a protest against the Siang Dam project and the deployment of security forces for conduct of a pre-feasibility report (PFR) in the affected districts.
Holding banners and placards, the protesters, mostly women, raised slogans against the government citing socio-environmental concerns such as displacement, loss of ancestral lands, and threat to biodiversity.
They also accused the government of violating the rights of the people and demanded immediate withdrawal of the security forces and suspension of the project.
The protest assumes significance as Khandu is scheduled to visit Boleng in Siang district on Thursday to inaugurate the district hospital and circuit house and later attend a Thanksgiving party of rural development and panchayati raj minister Ojing Tasing.
On December 6, the Siang district administration had written to Rebo-Perging circle officer to engage gaon burahs (village headmen) and panchayat leaders of Riew village to help in the repair and maintenance of the Riew government primary school for the accommodation of the CAPF team on self-help basis.
It sparked outrage as the project-affected people led by Siang Indigenous Farmers Forum (SIFF) objected to the conduct of the survey and PFR for the project.
SIFF has been seeking a halt on the pre-feasibility survey and related activities until proper consent is obtained from stakeholders and affected individuals, claiming that the dam construction over the Siang River threatens the very existence of local people.
It had accused the state government and power developers of not following the Gauhati High Court’s order that cancelled dam projects on the Siang.
In 2022, the Gauhati High Court had cancelled all 44 proposed dam projects on the Siang River. The government had also told the court that all dam projects have been cancelled.
Anti-dam activists also criticised the state government for its move to deploy CAPF personnel in Riew village to facilitate PFR for the Siang dam project.
“The heavy security deployment is intended to intimidate local residents opposing the project,” anti-dam activist Ebo Mili had alleged.
He had also questioned the necessity of deploying such forces for a project in its initial stages.
Terming the move as excessive and unwarranted, activists argued that the affected families, not the government, hold the sole authority to approve the project and pointed out that locals have already rejected the proposal.
“The deployment of CAPF personnel in Riew village is an attempt to silence local opposition,” Mili had said.
On August 30, anti-dam groups, including SIFF, All Adi Welfare Society, and Bango Students Union, staged a peaceful protest at Dite Dime Bridge over the Siang River.
Additionally, residents of Parong village, represented by the Parong Baane Kebang, filed a complaint against the NHPC, accusing it of forcibly imposing the survey for the project. (PTI)
