OUR CORRESPONDENT
Itanagar: Hundreds of villagers in Upper Siang district of Arunachal Pradesh on Saturday staged a protest against a proposed mega hydro power project coming up in the district. Villagers staged the protest at Geku Village, opposing the preliminary study being conducted in the area for construction of the 12,500 mw Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP).
Organized by the Siang Indigenous Farmers Forum (SIFF), who is spearheading the anti-dam movement, the villagers raised slogans against the National HydroElectric Power Corporation (NHPC) and state Chief Minister Pema Khandu.
Geku extra assistant commissioner A Ratan informed that there were around 600 villagers who gathered at 8.30 am and the protest was peaceful without any untoward incidents. The protest ended at around 1 pm, the EAC added.
The NHPC has proposed three sites for construction of the dam in Upper Siang and Siang district respectively, whichever is feasible. One site is proposed in between Parong and Deging villages in Siang district, while two sites, one at Ugeng near Riga village and another in between Ditte-Dime and Geku in Siang district have been proposed. The NHPC has been conducting surveys on the sites for feasibility of the project.
SIFF general secretary Donggo Libang informed that the Adi community is opposing the project as it will be a threat to their land, environment and way of life.
“If the dam is constructed the wet rice cultivation field and many villages will be submerged and the people will be deprived of their indigenous rights,” Libang added.
Also read: Anti-dam groups stage protest over mega power project in Arunachal Pradesh (sentinelassam.com)
Also watch: