ITANAGAR — Responding to widespread local protests and a district-wide shutdown across Upper Siang, Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu has issued a comprehensive public appeal to the indigenous Adi community, offering assurances of absolute transparency and clarifying that no formal approvals have been granted for the construction of the 11,200-MW Siang Upper Multipurpose Project.
Addressing the community directly, Khandu stated that ongoing state efforts are limited exclusively to technical surveys for a Pre-Feasibility Report aimed at assessing downstream water security rather than initiating immediate civil works.
Strategic Context and Downstream Vulnerabilities
The Chief Minister highlighted critical upstream geopolitical developments along the international border to explain the necessity of preliminary technical assessments:
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Upstream Transboundary Developments: Officials pointed to active dam construction initiated by China along the upper stretches of the Yarlung Tsangpo River in Medog County, situated approximately 40 kilometers from the border line.
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Risk Mitigation for Downstream Basins: Given that over 65 percent of the Siang River’s total volume originates across the border, the state government stressed the urgency of scientific assessments to mitigate flash flooding risks, safeguard seasonal water flows, and protect the broader Brahmaputra river system.
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Commitment to Public Consensus: Khandu emphasized that no final construction determination has been made by either central or state authorities, promising that local community rights, land preservation, and public consultation will guide all future evaluations.
Community Resistance and Political Reactions
The government’s dialogue proposal comes against the backdrop of sustained local pushback from indigenous organizations:
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Grassroots Objections: Indigenous groups and local residents have raised fundamental objections regarding potential village submergence, environmental degradation, displacement from ancestral lands, and disruption to tribal heritage.
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Demands for Project Cancellation: Joining the protest call, state political leaders and opposition figures have demanded an immediate halt to the project, maintaining that infrastructure development must strictly depend on the prior informed consent of impacted local populations.
