resistance-to-siang-dam-grows-president-s-help-sought

As protests echoed across the Siang Valley in Arunachal Pradesh, over 100 civil society organisations and environmental groups made a fervent plea to President Droupadi Murmu, seeking the withdrawal of paramilitary forces stationed to support a contentious hydropower project.

The move, they argued, disregarded indigenous rights and heightened fears of ecological catastrophe.

The deployment of Central Armed Police Forces in Upper Siang district aimed to facilitate a pre-feasibility survey for an 12,500 MW hydropower dam on the Siang River.

While the project is part of India’s strategy to counter China’s hydropower initiatives on the Yarlung Zangbo (Brahmaputra), locals, mainly from the Adi tribe, have voiced strong opposition citing displacement risks and environmental concerns.

Meanwhile, Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu had earlier assured people residing in the region that the government would not pursue the project without public consent. 

However, civil society groups claimed the government had reneged on its promise made earlier this year to seek people’s approval before initiating any activity.

An open letter signed by 109 organisations urged adherence to international commitments, including the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

“India must honour its pledges to safeguard indigenous rights and biodiversity,” the letter emphasised.

The Siang Valley, nestled within the ecologically sensitive Dihang-Dibang Biosphere Reserve, is a hotspot for biodiversity.

Environmentalists warned of potential disasters, citing recent catastrophic events in the Himalayas linked to climate change and large-scale hydro projects.

“The people of Siang Valley are acutely aware of their fragile landscape and the hazards associated with such massive construction,” the letter stated.

It also highlighted instances where hydropower dams in the region failed or exacerbated disasters, including the 2013 Uttarakhand floods and the 2023 glacial lake outburst in Sikkim.

The organisations called for a review of India’s hydropower ambitions in the Himalayan region, pointing to reduced river discharges and delays in commissioning mega projects.

They cited the Subansiri Lower Hydropower Project, which has faced repeated setbacks due to geological challenges, as an example of the risks and financial burdens associated with such ventures.