Kumku Village Agrees for 11,000 MW Siang Upper Multipurpose Project, Signs MOU With Govt

The Deputy Commissioner of Siang, P.N. Thungon, signed the agreement on behalf of the State Government, with Taba Tamut and Bakin Tali representing the villagers.

In a major development, amid the peaceful protests against the 11,000 MW Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP) in Arunachal Pradesh, one of the villages – Kumku (Pangkang) has signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Government of Arunachal Pradesh to begin the crucial Preliminary Feasibility Report (PFR) for Multipurpose Project at Boleng in Siang District, informed the IPR department, govt of Arunachal Pradesh in a statement.

A statement issued by the Department of Information and Public Relations described the agreement as a “new beginning in community and government cooperation” aimed at exploring “possible avenues for long-term local and regional prosperity along with national security.”

The Deputy Commissioner of Siang, P.N. Thungon, signed the agreement on behalf of the State Government, with Taba Tamut and Bakin Tali representing the villagers.

The event was attended by the Minister for Panchayati Raj, Transport, and Cooperation, Ojing Tasing, and the Bharatiya Janata Party’s State general secretary, Nalong Mize.

Thungon said the 11,000 MW project, if deemed viable and implemented, “promises transformative benefits for the local community besides strategic defence and environmental resilience.”

According to the terms of the MoU, a development package of Rs 5 crore is to be disbursed over three years for the enhancement of infrastructure, healthcare, and livelihood programmes for project-affected families. It also mandates stakeholder consultations as the project progresses.

Officials underscored the strategic significance of the SUMP, noting its role in counterbalancing China’s extensive hydropower infrastructure on the Yarlung Tsangpo – the upstream segment of the Siang River in Tibet – while simultaneously offering economic empowerment and access to clean, sustainable energy to the local population.

“The villagers of Pangkang [also called Kumku] have shown incredible wisdom and maturity by deciding to cooperate with the government in the conduct of a pre-feasibility report for SUMP,” Mr. Thungon said. “This is not only about power or water; it is about harnessing the potential of River Siang for the collective prosperity of the local area, the State, and the nation.”

Earlier on Friday protest in Beging village nearly turned violent when villagers attempted to block the Central Armed Police Forces from entering the village through a hanging bridge.

Following assurances from Minister OjingTasing, local MLA Oni Panyang, and Minister AloLibang to hold a meeting on the issue, the protest has been temporarily postponed to the 27th of this month. This assurance was further reiterated by the Deputy Commissioner of Upper Siang.

The Siang Indigenous Farmers Forum has submitted a memorandum to the government outlining their demands. SIFF stated that although the protest is on hold, a small group of 12–13 villagers will remain at the site. Further action will be decided after the proposed meeting with the government on the 27th.

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

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