Boleng: Clashes erupted on Friday between villagers and security forces in Geku as authorities moved to restrict access to Beging, a proposed survey site for the Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP) in Arunachal Pradesh.
The villagers were attempting to join a sit-in protest led by the Siang Indigenous Farmers’ Forum (SIFF), a local body representing families who staunchly oppose the project, asserting they have never consented to a development they believe threatens to submerge their land and way of life.
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Multiple platoons of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) were deployed in various areas, including Beging, Geku, Jengging, and the district headquarters of East Siang, Siang, and Upper Siang like Pasighat, Boleng, and Yingkiong.
According to SIFF and The Dibang Resistance—prominent groups opposing large-scale hydropower projects—this paramilitary presence is intended to assist officials from the National Hydro Electric Power Corporation (NHPC) in carrying out a pre-feasibility survey.
They alleged that drilling machinery has already been installed at the Beging site, fueling widespread anger and protest among those opposed to SUMP and its feasibility study.
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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. If constructed, it would become one of the largest hydroelectric projects in the world.
Meanwhile, in a separate but related development, the villagers of Pangkang (Kumku) under Riga circle of Siang District signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Government of Arunachal Pradesh today at Boleng.
This agreement paves the way for the crucial Preliminary Feasibility Report (PFR) for the Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP).
Siang Deputy Commissioner, P.N. Thungon, representing the Arunachal Pradesh Government, signed the MoU with Taba Tamut and Bakin Tali.
The proposed SUMP, if feasible and executed, promises transformative benefits for the local community, in addition to strategic defense and environmental resilience, stated the state government in a press release through DIPR.
According to the MoU, a development package of Rs 5 crore over three years will be rolled out, overseen by a newly constituted Village Development Committee (VDC).
This Committee, composed of likely project-affected families, will spearhead village infrastructure improvements, health services, and livelihood programs, ensuring that the fruits of these special development initiatives are rooted in the community and lead to equitable growth.
The MoU also guarantees future consultations with local stakeholders as the project progresses, reaffirming the government’s commitment to inclusive planning and development, with local priorities in mind.