The Arunachal Pradesh State Pollution Control Board has rescheduled the environmental public hearing for the 1,650 MW Subansiri Upper Hydroelectric Project from October 30 to October 28, officials said on Saturday.
According to a circular issued by Upper Subansiri Deputy Commissioner Tasso Gambo, the hearing will now be held at Menga Government Secondary School. He urged all residents likely to be affected by the project, from Siyum, Taliha, Payeng, Jaring, Daporijo, Gusar and Dumporijo circles, to attend and share their views.
The Subansiri Upper project, to be developed jointly by NHPC Ltd and the Arunachal Pradesh government, is proposed over the Subansiri river, a major tributary of the Brahmaputra. Estimated to generate 1,650 MW of power, the dam is part of a series of hydroelectric projects planned along the Subansiri basin, aimed at enhancing India’s clean energy capacity in the Northeast.
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Formerly known as the Oju-I and Oju-II hydroelectric projects, the plan has faced resistance for over a decade from student groups, environmentalists, and villagers. Opponents argue that the project threatens fragile mountain ecosystems, increases seismic risks, and could displace hundreds of families in Upper Subansiri district.
Earlier this month, protesters staged demonstrations at Daporijo and outside the deputy commissioner’s office, demanding that the project be scrapped. They claimed that public consultation processes had been inadequate and that the environmental impact assessment failed to consider downstream effects on Assam’s riverine communities.
The NHPC has maintained that the project follows all environmental norms and will bring economic growth and employment opportunities to the region, besides contributing significantly to India’s renewable energy goals.
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