Itanagar, Oct 7 (PTI) The proposed 11,200 MW Siang Upper Multipurpose Project was important for India’s water and national security, but the interests of local communities must also be protected, Arunachal Pradesh Minister Ojing Tasing said on Wednesday.
The hydropower project has been facing opposition from locals of the Siang region, over concerns about a possible impact on their traditional way of life amid fears over displacement, ecological damage and the risks associated with building a mega project in a seismically active region.
They have demanded an immediate stop to the ongoing Pre-Feasibility Report (PFR) activities and survey work for the project proposed on the Siang River and a withdrawal of security forces deployed in areas likely to be affected by it.
However, the government has maintained the project would drive economic and social growth, generate employment opportunities for the youth, and strengthen water and energy security for the state and the nation, especially in view of concerns over China’s proposed mega dam on the river upstream.
The state’s Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister Ojing Tasing on Wednesday said, “The project is of immense significance for India’s water and national security. At a time when China is undertaking massive infrastructure development upstream, India must remain prepared to safeguard its strategic interests and ensure that our water resources can never become an instrument of pressure against our nation.”
“National interest and people’s welfare must move forward together. As we secure the nation’s future, it is equally our solemn responsibility to protect the rights, interests and well-being of every citizen and community affected by the project,” said Tasing, who represents the Pangin Assembly constituency in Siang district.
He said India cannot ignore the large-scale infrastructure development being undertaken by China upstream of the Siang, which is known as the Yarlung Tsangpo in Tibet and enters India as the Siang before becoming the Brahmaputra.
He said the approach should be based on trust, consultation and development, rather than confrontation, adding that a secure nation and protected communities must remain at the centre of the government’s policy.
“This balance, a secure India, a protected people, and development pursued through trust and consultation, embodies the spirit of Nation First that guides Chief Minister Pema Khandu’s firm resolve on the Siang Project,” Tasing said.
The state government has maintained that the project will not be taken forward merely based on a proposal and that technical and other statutory assessments have to be completed first.
Chief Minister Pema Khandu has said that if the project is found technically unviable after the pre-feasibility study, it will not be pursued. If found feasible, further assessments, including social and environmental impact studies, would be undertaken. PTI UPL UPL NSD
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