GUWAHATI: Protests broke out at Beging village of Siang district in Arunachal Pradesh on Friday against the deployment of Central Armed Police Force personnel for the proposed 11,000 MW Siang Upper Multipurpose Project.
The personnel were deployed in some villages and the headquarters of Siang, Upper Siang and East Siang districts to assist the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) to conduct a survey-cum-pre-feasibility report for the project on the Siang river.
The protestors, mostly women, came out of their homes holding placards and shouted slogans against the project.
An indefinite dharna was organised by the Siang Indigenous Farmers’ Forum (SIFF) and another local organisation. They demanded the immediate withdrawal of the central force and a peaceful dialogue with SIFF and the project-affected families.
These families have been opposing the proposed dam project for a long time under the banner of SIFF. They said the “forceful” survey was a blatant violation of their fundamental rights under the Constitution of India.
They condemned the alleged arbitrary abuse of power, stating that it hurt and violated their sentiments and rights.
Even as the opposition to the project continued, the NHPC had in July last year written to the state government seeking round-the-clock security at the proposed sites for core drilling works and geophysical studies.
Chief Minister Pema Khandu batted for the project, citing concerns over China’s plans on the Siang River.
Earlier, he stated that India needed this project considering China’s approval for the construction of a project capable of generating around 60,000 MW of power on the Yarlung Tsangpo river which becomes Siang in Arunachal and the Brahmaputra in Assam.
According to Khandu, China, which is not a signatory to the International Water Conventions, intends to divert water from multiple reservoirs that will be created under its project to the dry regions of Tibet and other parts of the country.
“In such a scenario, it is inevitable that the volume of water in Siang will drastically get reduced so much so that during winters one will be able to cross the mighty river on foot,” Khandu had stated.
He emphasised another pressing reason for India to proceed with the Siang project: the potential devastation downstream in the Siang belt and Assam if China were to release water from its dams suddenly.