Itanagar, Oct 13 Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Tuesday agreed in principle to reduce the number of security personnel deployed in the Siang Valley and withdraw FIRs registered during protests against the proposed 11,200 MW hydropower project in the region, two of the key demands of the agitators.
This is being seen as the state government’s willingness to take confidence-building measures amid growing tensions over the mega dam that has been projected as a driver of economic growth and a means of strengthening water and energy security for the state and the nation.
In a post on X after a meeting with the Adi Baane Kebang Youth Wing and the Adi Students’ Union, Khandu said his government remained committed to dialogue and finding a way forward over the issue through mutual understanding.
“Dialogue requires trust and mutual understanding. We remain committed to dialogue, consent and finding a constructive way forward,” he said.
The chief minister also said he has received requests from the two organisations for a reduction in the number of security forces deployed in the Valley and withdrawal of FIRs. “I agree to these proposals in principle as confidence-building measures to facilitate dialogue,” he said.
Khandu expressed hope that both organisations would work constructively to create an atmosphere of trust.
The development comes amid heightened tension in the Siang Valley, where sections of the Adi community have been opposing the Pre-Feasibility Report for the proposed hydropower project. The deployment of security personnel to facilitate the preparatory work has further sharpened the differences between the state government and sections of the local populace.
The two organisations had sought the chief minister’s intervention in diffusing the situation, with concerns centring on the presence of security forces, police cases and the need for meaningful consultations with affected communities.
Officials said that Khandu’s announcement was expected to open the way for further engagement, although the broader disagreement over the project remains unresolved.
The hydropower project has been facing opposition from locals of the Siang region, over concerns about a possible impact on their traditional way of life amid fears over displacement, ecological damage and the risks associated with building a mega project in a seismically active region.
They have demanded an immediate stop to the ongoing Pre-Feasibility Report (PFR) activities and survey work for the project proposed on the Siang River and a withdrawal of security forces deployed in areas likely to be affected by it.
However, the government has maintained the project would drive economic and social growth, generate employment opportunities for the youth, and strengthen water and energy security for the state and the nation, especially in view of concerns over China’s proposed mega dam on the river upstream.
It has also argued that the ongoing pre-feasibility exercise is meant to assess the project’s viability and does not amount to final approval for construction. It has said public consultations and assessments would be required before a final decision is taken.
The Siang Indigenous Farmers Forum (SIFF) and its youth wing have been among the prominent groups opposing the project-related survey work, insisting that the concerns of affected families must be addressed before the process moves ahead.
The detention of villagers in Upper Siang has emerged as another major point of contention.
Reports have emerged that four residents of Geku have been detained under the Arunachal Pradesh Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in connection with the protests.
(PTI News)
