Itanagar, Oct 25 (PTI) Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Sunday held separate meetings with legislators and representatives of the Arunachal Indigenous Tribes Forum (AITF) and community-based organisations (CBOs) on the proposed Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP), stressing the need to balance national security with environmental concerns and the rights of locals.
Khandu, in a social media post, said the all-party legislators’ meeting deliberated on the project’s pre-feasibility report (PFR), national security implications, environmental concerns and the aspirations of people in the Siang Valley.
“Our priority is to protect national interests while respecting the rights and aspirations of the people of Siang Valley,” he said.
In a separate meeting with AITF and CBO representatives, the chief minister flagged misinformation and misconceptions surrounding the project, saying these were creating apprehensions among residents.
He stressed the need to bridge the information gap through factual communication, transparency and open dialogue, and called for collective efforts to raise awareness across the state.
“Our people deserve accurate information to understand the project, its strategic importance and the concerns associated with it,” Khandu said.
The meetings come amid intensifying opposition to the proposed 11,200-MW project, with sections of the indigenous Adi community expressing concerns over possible displacement, loss of ancestral land, disruption of livelihoods and damage to the river ecosystem.
Residents have also raised questions about the safety of a mega dam in a seismically sensitive region.
The project has assumed strategic significance for India amid concerns over China’s proposed large hydropower project on the Yarlung Tsangpo River in Tibet, which flows into India as the Siang and subsequently the Brahmaputra. The Indian project is envisaged as a major storage facility to regulate river flows and strengthen water and energy security.
The current PFR exercise is intended to assess the project’s feasibility and does not, by itself, constitute final approval for construction, officials have maintained. However, opponents have demanded that survey activities be halted and that affected communities be consulted before the process proceeds.
The dispute has triggered protests and clashes in recent weeks. On Friday, a 12-hour bandh across Siang, Upper Siang and East Siang districts was followed by violence in Pasighat, where an NHPC office and a police station were set on fire, properties of political leaders were vandalised and police personnel were injured.
The Centre on Sunday moved additional Rapid Action Force personnel to the state following the unrest. The developments have heightened concerns over law and order as opposition to the project continues.
Khandu has maintained that dialogue is essential to address public concerns. PTI CORR ACD
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