NAHARLAGUN, OCT 22:
Human Rights of Arunachal (HRA) has urged the Arunachal Pradesh government to disclose details of hydropower project agreements, terminated projects and upfront payments reportedly collected from private developers, calling for greater transparency and financial accountability.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, HRA called on the Hydro Power Department, Finance Department and other concerned departments to publish authenticated records of project agreements, termination orders and the status of funds received from developers.
According to figures compiled by the organisation, 153 hydropower projects were recorded across eight river basins up to 2022. Of these, 42 were reportedly terminated, accounting for about 27.5 per cent of the total, while 111 were not listed as terminated in the information available to HRA.
The Kameng Basin accounted for the highest number of reported terminations, with 17 projects, followed by the Siang Basin with 11. HRA clarified that projects not listed as terminated should not automatically be considered operational, under construction or actively progressing, and said their current status needed verification through official records.
The organisation also referred to information indicating a total of 157 projects up to 2024, but said the accompanying reference to “157 MWS” was unclear. It urged the government to clarify the figure and publish an updated project-wise list containing each project’s installed capacity, developer, agreement date, river basin and present status.
Raising questions about upfront payments, HRA cited a figure of ₹1,520.81 crore reportedly collected from hydropower companies and called for the amount to be verified against original departmental records and audited accounts.
It sought project-wise details of payments received, dates of payment, the legal basis for each transaction, and the amounts linked to subsequently terminated projects. It also asked the government to disclose any refunds, adjustments, retained sums or outstanding amounts, along with the relevant government account heads under which the receipts were recorded.
HRA called for the publication of an authenticated list of hydropower projects covered by Memoranda of Agreement and Memoranda of Understanding between 2007 and 2024, along with details of approvals, environmental and forest clearances, termination orders and related financial implications.
The organisation further urged the government to ensure consultation with affected indigenous communities, compliance with applicable legal safeguards and transparent environmental and social impact assessments. It also called for relevant public records to be made accessible in accordance with the Right to Information Act, 2005.
While acknowledging hydropower’s potential contribution to economic development, infrastructure and public revenue, HRA said projects must be pursued with financial accountability, environmental responsibility and respect for the rights and interests of indigenous communities.
The organisation called for a comprehensive public-interest review of hydropower agreements, project terminations and financial accounting in the state.
HRA stated that the figures and financial amount cited in its statement were based on information supplied for compilation and had not been independently authenticated. It said the figures, including the reported total of 157 projects, required verification against original RTI replies, departmental records, government orders and audited accounts.
