Itanagar, Sep 29 (PTI) Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Tuesday visited Boleng and Yingkiong amid protests over the proposed mega hydropower project on the Siang river, stressing the need for dialogue as the government moves ahead with its technical assessment.
Khandu also chaired the first meeting of the empowered high-level committee for the Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP) at Yingkiong, reviewing preparations for the proposed pre-feasibility report (PFR) survey in Siang and Upper Siang districts.
The chief minister said the PFR was the first step towards establishing facts about the proposed project and would assess its basic feasibility and likely implications.
The findings would provide a basis for further investigation and informed decision-making, he said, clarifying that the PFR should not be viewed as final approval for the project or as a decision that it would necessarily be constructed.
Khandu stressed that the government’s responsibility was to ensure that the process remained thorough and transparent and took into account the realities of the people and the land.
“No project of such importance can move forward without the confidence and trust of the people,” he said in a social media post.
“We will be there with you, every step of the way. Addressing your concerns, and building trust through action,” he said, adding that “time is not on our side” and failure to act could have consequences for generations.
Khandu interacted with officers at Boleng in Siang district before proceeding to Yingkiong, the headquarters of Upper Siang district.
He said dialogue was important and urged government employees to use their influence in tribal society to create awareness, encourage responsibility and serve the larger public interest.
The SUMP is envisaged as a major hydropower and water-management project with an installed capacity of around 11,000 MW. The Centre had declared it a National Project in 2008, but it could not take off due to various reasons over the last 18 years.
The government said the project could strengthen energy and water security, moderate floods in the Siang-Brahmaputra basin, generate employment and contribute to the long-term development of the region.
The project’s strategic significance is also linked to the Siang, which enters India from Tibet as a continuation of the Yarlung Tsangpo, officials said.
Villagers in Geku, Komkar and adjoining areas have opposed the PFR activities and demanded that the project be scrapped, citing concerns over land, livelihoods, ecology, seismic risks and its possible impact on their socio-cultural life.
Khandu later said he was in Yingkiong to meet people, listen to their concerns and discuss the SUMP.
“We will always be there for our people, listening, understanding and working together towards a way forward,” he said in another social media post. PTI UPL UPL SOM
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