Guwahati: A protest march against the 11,200-MW Siang Upper Multipurpose Project crossed into Assam’s Dhemaji district on November 6. The movement started on November 4 in Geku, Arunachal Pradesh. Led by the Adi Galo Welfare Society, the group trekked through Ruksin before arriving in Jonai. The marchers demand the total cancellation of the mega dam project.
Local groups in Assam, including the Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuva Chatra Parishad, the Assam Jatiya Parishad, and the Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti, met the marchers with open arms. They want the government to drop FIRs against 48 youths and release all detained protesters. The list of demands also includes the immediate removal of security forces from impacted villages and the revocation of suspension orders.
Chittaranjan Basumatary, general secretary of the AJP, blasted the Centre and the state government for pushing the project. He pointed to 2014 campaign promises from Narendra Modi and Rajnath Singh that once opposed large dams in the region. He issued a sharp warning to the authorities. "People of Arunachal Pradesh are not beggars. We will not tolerate any conspiracy to destroy the Siang Valley in the name of development," Basumatary said.
Basumatary argued that the government should prioritize agriculture and basic infrastructure instead of chasing mega dams to compete with China’s project at Medog. Gyan Sharma of the Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuva Chatra Parishad confirmed his group would stand with the Adi community. Kharge Basar, spokesperson for the Adi Galo Welfare Society, continues to coordinate the march as it moves to pressure state authorities into a peaceful dialogue.
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