Itanagar, Sep 22 (PTI) An organisation representing the Adi community in Arunachal Pradesh on Tuesday urged the state government to immediately scrap the proposed Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP), claiming that the mega dam could submerge villages and agricultural land and adversely affect the community’s ancestral heritage, culture and the ecology of the Siang Valley.
The demand was raised by the Adi Bane Kebang-United (ABK-U), the apex body of the Adi community, at a press conference at the Arunachal Press Club here.
ABK-U president Thomas Borang said the government should not invoke “national interest” to justify a project that, according to the organisation, “could cause serious hardship” to people living in the affected areas.
Borang said a consultative meeting of the Adi community held at Geku in Upper Siang on September 16 adopted a four-point resolution demanding scrapping of the SUMP proposal, cancellation of agreements related to preparation of its pre-feasibility report (PFR), withdrawal of excess security forces deployed in Siang and Upper Siang districts and reinstatement of village heads allegedly suspended for opposing the project.
The ABK-U also questioned the government’s assessment of support for PFR-related activities.
Borang alleged that some people were persuaded to sign MoUs by offering benefits for activities such as poultry farming and fruit gardens.
The SUMP, proposed with a capacity of around 11,000 MW, is being pursued for hydropower generation and water management, besides strategic water security concerns linked to the Siang river.
The government has maintained that the project is of national importance and has stressed the need to take local communities on board.
Sections of villagers have opposed the project, citing concerns over possible submergence of settlements, agricultural land and historical sites, besides loss of livelihoods, ancestral land and cultural heritage.
Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Monday, after a consultative meeting, stated that the government was open to discussions and urged people with doubts or questions about the project to approach the authorities for clarification.
“Ultimately, it is a national project, but the public is the owner. It is the land’s owner. It is very important to take them on board,” Khandu told reporters after a consultative meeting on the project here.
The chief minister also called for greater awareness among the people about the project, saying the government would undertake more awareness programmes to explain its technical aspects, significance and possible implications.
Khandu appealed to people of the Siang and Upper Siang basins to support the proposed project, while asserting that the government would address their concerns and ensure that local communities are taken on board before taking the project forward.
The ABK-U also raised concerns over ecological and seismic risks in the Himalayan region and possible impact on downstream areas.
Borang said the organisation was not opposed to all dams but specifically objected to a mega storage project of the proposed scale in the Adi-inhabited areas.
He also called for greater consultation with affected villagers, youth, student organisations, senior citizens and other sections of society before taking any further steps.
The organisation had on Monday, submitted a memorandum to Khandu seeking immediate scrapping of the SUMP and a halt to all PFR activities.
It said the project should not be pursued without free, prior and informed consent of the indigenous people and alleged that there was a lack of transparency in the signing of some MoUs.
In the memorandum, the organisation claimed that agricultural land on both sides of the Siang and its tributaries would be submerged if the project was implemented.
It also said Yingkiong, the headquarters of Upper Siang district, and Geku would be affected, besides several villages and historical sites, and expressed concern over ecological damage and risks to downstream communities.
The ABK-U also sought withdrawal of Central Armed Police Forces and excess state police personnel from Siang and Upper Siang, revocation of suspension orders against village heads and their immediate reinstatement.
It urged the government to uphold traditional Adi customary laws and practices and ensure transparency and accountability in matters relating to land and water.
(PTI News)
