In the dense foothills of Arunachal Pradesh, where the Siang River carves through forests and sustains generations of indigenous communities, a quiet rage has turned into a loud, unrelenting resistance. Villagers from Siang, Upper Siang, and West Siang districts have launched an indefinite sit-in at Beging — the proposed survey site for what could become one of the largest hydroelectric projects in the world.
The protest is led by the Siang Indigenous Farmers’ Forum (SIFF), a local body representing families who say they have never consented to the project that threatens to submerge not only their land, but also their way of life. The proposed Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP), with an estimated capacity of 11,500 MW, would involve the construction of a nearly 300-meter-high dam on the Siang River, a major tributary of the Brahmaputra.
On Thursday, May 23, the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) were deployed in several areas, including Beging, Geku, Jengging, and district headquarters Pasighat, Boleng, and Yingkiong. According to The Dibang Resistance — a community that has actively opposed the construction of the dam — the paramilitary presence is meant to assist officials from the National Hydro Electric Power Corporation (NHPC) in carrying out a pre-feasibility survey. They allege that drilling machinery has already been installed at the Beging site, sparking widespread anger.
“What kind of consent is consent taken by force of guns?” asked The Dibang Resistance in a strongly worded statement. “This is a blatant violation of our fundamental rights under the Constitution of India.”
A Dam Decades in Dispute
The local opposition to dam projects on the Siang River dates back to the early 1980s. For decades, indigenous Adi communities have expressed fears of land submergence, cultural erosion, and seismic vulnerabilities. Despite these long-standing concerns, villagers say they were neither consulted nor informed about the renewed survey activities.
Rituraj Phukan, an environmentalist and founder of the Indigenous People’s Climate Justice Forum, voiced his concern: “Large hydel projects should be avoided considering the seismic vulnerabilities of the region, likely to be aggravated due to climate change. It is important to also consider the ecological sensitivity of the region and the lifestyles and traditions of the indigenous communities whose lives are intertwined with nature. The fragile region should not be subjected to exploitative extraction activities to meet the energy needs of the rest of the country, particularly at a time when alternatives like hydrogen, solar, etc., are becoming increasingly viable.”
Amba Jamir, a Nagaland-based environmentalist and founding member of the Sustainable Development Forum Nagaland, also criticized the government’s approach. “The deployment of CAPF despite fierce local opposition from the Adi tribe over land loss and cultural disruption underscores a troubling prioritization of strategic and energy interests over indigenous rights and environmental sustainability. Genuine consultation, transparent environmental impact assessments, and fair compensation or relocation plans (if at all) are essential to align national interests with local rights. Respecting the Adis’ connection to the Siang is critical to ensuring the project serves both the nation and its people equitably.”
Strategic Concerns, National Stakes
The Siang project, expected to cost ₹1.13 lakh crore, is one of several large-scale hydropower initiatives being pushed forward by the central government in border states. The rationale, according to officials, goes beyond power generation. In a December 2024 interview, Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu stated that the SUMP was essential not just for electricity, but for flood control — particularly to counter any potential water surges from Chinese projects upstream on the Yarlung Tsangpo (the Brahmaputra’s name in Tibet).
“The SUMP is about maintaining the natural flow of the river and mitigating risks of flooding if China releases excess water,” Khandu said, referencing China’s approval of a $137 billion dam project near the Indian border.
Yet for the families camping out in protest at Beging, this geopolitical reasoning offers little comfort.
“Are we not Indians?” The Dibang Resistance asked in their public statement. “Why should we be coerced into giving up our land for a dam we never agreed to?”
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