Arunachal Pradesh village backs PFR studies for SUMP, inks MoU with govt

OUR CORRESPONDENT

ITANAGAR: Komkar village in Upper Siang district of Arunachal Pradesh on Tuesday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the state government, extending strong support for the preparation of the pre-feasibility report (PFR) of the Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP).

The project was declared of national importance by the Centre in 2008.

The MoU was signed with the consent of 245 out of 257 households of Komkar village, representing over 95 per cent community approval. This reflects broad-based support for conducting PFR-related studies, a statement from the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) said here.

The agreement was finalized in the presence of Chief Minister Pema Khandu (virtually), state Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister Ojing Tasing, Mariyang-Geku MLA Oni Panyang, Chief Secretary Manish Kumar Gupta and senior officials.

Village representatives said the decision underscores the community's commitment to national interest and the long-term safety and prosperity of the Siang belt and the Adi community. They also appreciated the state government's sustained consultations and awareness programmes, particularly on the strategic, ecological and water-security aspects of the project.

Addressing the gathering, Khandu thanked the people of Komkar for becoming the first village in Upper Siang district to formally support the PFR process, following similar agreements by four villages in Siang district earlier.

He clarified that the current MoU is strictly limited to the preparation of the PFR and assured that no construction decision would be taken without extensive consultations and the consent of all project-affected families.

Khandu also flagged emerging hydrological concerns, including the possibility of diversion or reduction of water flow in the Siang River due to upstream activities.

He said the project is important to safeguard ecological flow and ensure long-term water security for the region.

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