ITANAGAR, SEP 29:
The Human Rights of Arunachal (HRA) has called for a transparent and people-centric review of the proposed Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP), saying concerns raised by sections of the indigenous Adi communities should be addressed through meaningful consultation and independent assessment.
In a statement, HRA said the concerns surrounding the proposed project, estimated at around 11,000 MW, extend beyond power generation to ancestral land, possible displacement, customary rights, agriculture and livelihoods, the Siang River, biodiversity and environmental impacts, and seismic and geological risks.
HRA referred to the opposition expressed by the Adi Bane Kebang-United (ABK-U) to the project and to ongoing Pre-Feasibility Report (PFR)-related activities. It said ABK-U has called for the project to be scrapped and PFR activities stopped.
At the same time, HRA acknowledged that views among communities are not uniform. It cited the February 2026 agreement between the State Government and residents of Karko village supporting PFR preparation. Seventy-six of the village’s 120 households initially signed the MoU, while subsequent reporting said the number supporting PFR activities rose to 93.
HRA said both support and opposition should be documented accurately and that no single organisation, meeting or agreement should automatically be considered representative of all potentially affected communities.
On the concerns raised by opponents, HRA called for independent and publicly accessible assessments of the project’s geological, seismic, hydrological, environmental and social implications. It also called for proper consideration of customary land rights and traditional community institutions in decision-making concerning ancestral land and natural resources.
Regarding the ongoing PFR process, HRA noted the Government’s position that the PFR is a preparatory assessment and does not itself constitute final approval for construction. It nevertheless sought greater transparency in the process and independent examination of any allegations concerning the manner in which MoUs, NOCs or community support may have been obtained.
HRA also referred to concerns raised by ABK-U and sections of protesting communities over the presence of security personnel in areas associated with PFR activities. It urged authorities to prioritise dialogue, consultation and confidence-building and avoid unnecessary confrontation during survey-related activities.
The organisation acknowledged the State Government’s September 23 decision to constitute an Empowered High-Level Committee to guide and coordinate the PFR survey and associated activities in Siang and Upper Siang districts. The Cabinet said the committee would facilitate engagement with residents and ensure that the survey is conducted in a transparent, peaceful and people-centric manner, while keeping the voices and interests of likely project-affected families and local communities central to the process.
HRA welcomed these stated principles but said they should be reflected through meaningful consultation on the ground and disclosure of relevant technical, environmental, social and land-related information.
The organisation appealed to the State and Central governments to create a credible platform where supporters and opponents of SUMP can present their concerns and evidence, and to ensure that potentially affected families have a meaningful role in the decision-making process.
HRA said questions of national interest, energy and water security should be considered alongside constitutional safeguards, customary rights, environmental protection and the concerns of indigenous communities.
It appealed to all stakeholders to maintain peace, restraint and democratic dialogue, and urged the Government to address the concerns being raised by sections of the Adi community before taking irreversible steps concerning the project.
