Photo Courtesy: nenow
Kohima: The Kohima-based Sustainable Development Forum Nagaland (SDFN) is backing the Adi people in their fight against the 11,000 MW Siang Upper Multipurpose Project. Tensions are running high. The SDFN demands that state and central authorities pull additional armed security from the Siang valley immediately.
Reports of arrests and limits on public movement have triggered widespread outrage. The forum wants an independent probe into claims of police violence against protesters, journalists, and lawyers. It also calls for the release of everyone detained for peaceful dissent. Officials must stop using force to handle local concerns. The SDFN warns that these tactics only drive a deeper wedge between the public and the state.
The group insists that the river is much more than a power source. "The Siang River is far more than a source of hydropower; it is an irreplaceable, living ecological and cultural lifeline that sustains communities, traditional livelihoods, extraordinary biodiversity, and sacred landscapes across the Eastern Himalaya," the SDFN stated.
Authorities must honor the principle of free, prior and informed consent before starting any surveys or project work. The forum highlights the extreme seismic risks of the region. They argue that mega-infrastructure carries permanent threats for both upstream habitats and downstream areas in Assam. Independent scientific reviews on geology, hydrology, and social impact must be public. Regional stability relies on local inclusion, not top-down mandates.
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