Fresh Protests Erupt in Arunachal’s Upper Siang Over Siang Upper Multipurpose Project, Situation Volatile as Protestors Torch Bridge to Block CAPF Entry

The Arunachal Pradesh government has maintained that the dam is of strategic national importance.

Tensions flared in Arunachal Pradesh’s Upper Siang district today as fresh protests erupted against the proposed 11,500 MW Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP).

The situation turned volatile when angry villagers torched a key hanging bridge connecting Boleng and Beging to block the entry of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) at the site to help the NHPC officials carry out surveys and preliminary studies required for the Pre-Feasibility Report, a critical step before any environmental clearance or project design finalisation.

Project Affected Families (PAF), under the banner of the Siang Indigenous Farmer’s Forum (SIFF), have begun an indefinite dharna and peaceful protest at the Beging Dam survey site, strongly opposing what they allege is a forceful and unauthorised pre-feasibility survey being carried out by NHPC Limited.

Protests are also being held in Siang, East Siang, and Upper Siang districts including Geku, Jengging, Yingkiong, Boleng, and Pasighat where security personnel from the ITBP, IRBn, and Arunachal Pradesh Police have been deployed to assist NHPC officials in carrying out the contentious survey.

It may be mentioned here that the SIFF have been opposing the dam project citing no formal consent, lack of awareness programs, and a complete absence of community engagement. It said that the project affects about 27 families in the area.

Speaking to Northeast Live, SIFF Media Secretary Dunge Apang clarified that the protestors are not outright opposed to development, but are concerned about the potential displacement and lack of transparency surrounding the project.

“The government is saying we are against the dam, no, we are not. We are only thinking about our land and how many families would be rendered homeless,” he said.

Apang said, “We have also written a formal letter to the government, requesting access to the project plan and impact assessment for better understanding the scale of displacement and environmental impact, so that we can plan awareness programs in villages based on that information. However, the government has not replied to our request till date.”

SIFF President Lamok Padum said, “No consent was given for the Pre-Feasibility Report (PFR) and emphasised the need for immediate government intervention. This is not just a development issue. It’s about our land, identity, and future.”

He also accused the Arunachal Pradesh government of betraying public trust, pointing out that during the election campaign, Chief Minister Pema Khandu had assured that the project would move forward only with the consent of the local people.

“That promise has not been kept. There has been no public engagement, no notices, no awareness campaigns not even formal meetings with MLAs or local representatives,” he said.

The SIFF has called the current survey a blatant violation of fundamental rights and condemned the deployment of armed forces as an act of intimidation aimed at stifling democratic dissent.

While protests against the dam continue, the Arunachal Pradesh government has maintained that the dam is of strategic national importance.

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