Photo Courtesy: nenow
Itanagar: Thousands of villagers in Arunachal Pradesh rallied against the 11,000 MW Siang Upper Multipurpose Project on August 27. The Siang Indigenous Farmers’ Forum Youth Wing reported an unofficial meeting held in the Upper Siang district. Divisional Commissioner Amjad Tak led the gathering without issuing a formal notice or circular. Local police and the Deputy Commissioner of Boleng only arrived after villagers tipped them off.
Tak visited to gauge local sentiment through informal talks. The villagers stood their ground. They signaled their firm refusal with a simple rallying cry: "No Dam. No Survey." Residents warned that any government or corporate teams entering their land for project work will face consequences. They consider such entries a breach of constitutional safeguards and local customs.
The community fears the dam's proximity to a Category A glacial lake. This 8.18-hectare hazard sits just 25 km from Tuting. Residents worry about the safety of a massive reservoir in seismic Zone V. The region is highly active for earthquakes. Locals demand protection for their ancestral forests, rivers, and mountains.
Resistance remains rooted in the Forest Rights Act, the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation of 1873, and Article 371(H) of the Constitution. Villagers also cite the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Traditional councils, known as Baane Kebang, have already passed resolutions to stop the construction. Protesters have effectively halted the Pre-Feasibility Report by barring all surveyors and data collectors from their territory.
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