Itanagar: Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu has said no decision has been made to construct the Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP), and that any decision on the proposal must follow public discussion and consent.
“We are not talking about dam construction at this stage,” Khandu said in a statement addressed to members of the Adi community. “No decision has been made regarding construction of the Siang UMP by either the Government of India or the Government of Arunachal Pradesh.”
The government is currently preparing a Pre-Feasibility Report (PFR), Khandu said. He described it as an initial assessment of the project’s basic feasibility and likely implications, intended to inform further investigation and decision-making. He said the report could also help identify other options for maintaining ecological flow in the Siang and Brahmaputra rivers.
“The PFR is the first step towards establishing the facts,” he said, adding that it “is not a final approval, nor does it by itself mean that the project will be built.”
Khandu acknowledged that residents are worried about their land, homes and the Siang River, known locally as Aane Siang.
He said he understood why families, elders and young people felt apprehensive amid conflicting information. His statement rejected claims that a decision had already been taken, that families would be forced from their homes, or that land would be taken without consent.
“Decisions will come later, and only through open discussion and with your consent,” Khandu said. He added: “We will never abandon our people midway.”
The Chief Minister said consultation and consent would be necessary before any construction decision, and pledged that the government would listen to residents and address concerns transparently. He also urged people to take part in “free and frank discussions” with public representatives and government officials.
Khandu cited water-related concerns in the valley, including sudden high flows and water scarcity in the dry winter months.
His statement noted that much of the Siang’s water originates in China, where the river is known as the Yarlung Tsangpo, and said the project could be one option to examine as the state considers how to maintain river flows and build resilience. The project was declared a national project by the Union government in 2008, according to the statement.
Protests over survey and project concerns
The Chief Minister’s appeal comes amid opposition to the proposed project and the surveys being conducted for its PFR. Residents and community groups have raised concerns over the possible loss of ancestral land, displacement, livelihoods and the river’s cultural and environmental importance.
They have also questioned whether affected communities have been adequately consulted. The government describes the current work as a feasibility exercise, while some residents fear that drilling and other survey activity on their land could pave the way for construction.
The protests have included road blockades and shutdowns. A bandh in Pasighat on October 23 led to protesters being arrested and the deployment of additional security forces.
Protest organisers have demanded the detainees’ release and the withdrawal of security forces, while residents have said the deployment has heightened tensions and affected movement in the area. Authorities have said the forces are there to maintain law and order.
On November 2, the SUMP Affected Area Youth Association and the Siang Indigenous Farmers Forum began a 36-hour shutdown in parts of Upper Siang, East Siang and Siang districts.
Khandu said democratic disagreement is a right, but called for dialogue instead of violence. “Violence can never be the answer,” he said, warning that bandhs, blockades and attacks would cause hardship. He thanked the Arunachal Indigenous Tribes Forum and community-based organisations for promoting dialogue in the Siang region.
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