Itanagar: Villagers from Komkar and surrounding areas staged protests at two locations in Upper Siang and Siang districts on Monday, opposing proposed pre-feasibility report (PFR) activities at Uggeng, one of the proposed dam sites of the Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP), according to a report in The Arunachal Times.
Residents of Komkar held a protest at Konggong Lingkok, locally known as Uggeng, on the left bank of the Siang River in Komkar village. Meanwhile, villagers from Riga, Pangkang, Sitang, Riew and Begging gathered on the right bank of the river at Uggeng to oppose the proposed activities.
The protests were organised against proposed drilling work at the site. The government is expected to begin PFR activities in October following the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU). Drilling machines are reportedly expected to arrive at the site by the end of September or in the coming months.
Villagers expressed concerns over the proposed drilling and the manner in which the MoU was signed. Residents of Komkar alleged that the government had not adequately addressed their concerns or provided clear reasons for proceeding with the agreement.
According to the villagers, three rounds of meetings were held at the village level with the local administration and community leaders. They questioned why the MoU was signed despite these consultations, saying that the justification and authenticity of the agreement had not been clearly explained.
The villagers also claimed that the project had not yet obtained the necessary clearances. Some residents alleged that the MoU was signed in the name of beneficiaries for activities such as agriculture, horticulture and fisheries, rather than through a transparent process concerning the proposed project.
They maintained that their concerns must be addressed and clarity provided on the MoU, the proposed project, and the planned PFR and drilling activities before work proceeds.
Ahead of Monday’s protest, the Upper Siang district administration imposed prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) across the Komkar Lingkok drilling and PFR site and surrounding areas.
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