ITANAGAR, OCT 5:
Chief Minister Pema Khandu and Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein on Monday interacted with MLAs from the Adi community, public representatives from East Siang, Siang and Upper Siang districts and representatives of the Adi Baane Kebang (ABK) at the Deputy Commissioner’s Conference Hall in Pasighat to address doubts and create greater awareness about the proposed Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP).
Khandu said the interaction was an opportunity to hear different perspectives from legislators, ABK representatives, Pasighat Municipal Council members, panchayat leaders and people who could be directly affected by the project.
“The Siang carries deep meaning for the people who live along its banks. Any conversation about its future must therefore begin with listening,” he said.
He said the meeting brought forward valuable suggestions, questions and concerns, adding that such conversations were essential to building confidence, addressing apprehensions and ensuring that people had adequate information.
In a social media post, Mein said it was important for elected representatives and public leaders to understand the project in its entirety so that they could help people understand its objectives, implications and the process involved.
He said SUMP was being considered primarily from the perspective of protecting the Siang basin and ensuring water security, particularly in view of concerns over the proposed mega dam on the Yarlung Tsangpo upstream in China.
Mein said the proposed SUMP, with its significant water-storage capacity, was envisaged as a regulating and buffer reservoir that could help maintain downstream flows during lean periods and moderate sudden releases of water from upstream.
Referring to past flooding in the Siang basin, including the 2002 floods in Pasighat, Mein said the experience underlined the need to strengthen preparedness and protect communities living along the river.
He appealed to people of Siang, East Siang and Upper Siang to allow the Preliminary Feasibility Report (PFR) activities to be undertaken, saying the exercise would establish whether the project was technically and geographically feasible.
“The PFR will establish whether the project is technically and geographically feasible. It is an assessment stage, not a decision to construct the dam,” Mein said, adding that any further decision would have to follow due process and consultation with the people.
The interaction took place amid fresh tensions over the PFR exercise. Clashes between protesters and security personnel were reported at Riga and Ugeng on Monday, with injuries to protesters and security personnel and damage to property reported during the incidents.
The government has been seeking dialogue with organisations opposing SUMP, while the Siang Indigenous Farmers Forum (SIFF) has sought more time for internal consultations before engaging in talks with the State Government.
