Hundreds of residents from several villages in Arunachal Pradesh's Siang district staged a protest on Sunday at the entry gate of Parong village, opposing the proposed deployment of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) for conducting a pre-feasibility report (PFR) study for the controversial Siang Upper Multipurpose Project.
The demonstrators raised slogans against the government, voicing socio-environmental concerns such as displacement, loss of ancestral lands, and threats to biodiversity.
They accused the authorities of violating the rights of local communities and demanded the immediate withdrawal of security forces, as well as a halt to the dam project.
The protestors came mainly from the villages of Parong, Riew, Geku, and Sitang in Siang and Upper Siang districts. The state government had scheduled the deployment of security forces for December 15 to assist with the PFR study.
In addition to the CAPFs, state armed police forces are set to provide security for the PFR work.
As part of the arrangement, three companies of CAPFs will be stationed in the Upper Siang district at Geku, Uggeng, and Jengging, while a platoon of state police will be positioned at Yingkiong.
In Siang district, two companies will be deployed in Begging and Parong villages, and one company will be assigned to the NHPC office in Boleng.
A company of state police will also be stationed in Boleng. In the East Siang district, CAPFs will protect the NHPC camp office in Pasighat.
The protesters contend that the heavy security presence is designed to intimidate those opposing the dam.
The controversy surrounding the proposed 11,000 MW dam has been ongoing for some time.
On August 31, anti-dam activists staged a protest on the Dite Dime bridge over the Siang river followed by demonstrations across the region.
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