The Siang dam and a threatened homeland
The Adi community has been protesting against the Siang Upper Multipurpose Project in Arunachal Pradesh, saying it threatens their land, livelihoods, and civilisation. The community alleges that the State government has used deceit, force, and threats to get consent for the feasibility study.
The Adi community protests against the dam, in Yingkom village in Upper Siang district. They say it will affect at least 40 villages, including submerging 27 of them, and destroy their land and livelihoods.
A few kilometres from the entrance to Arunachal Pradesh’s Parong village, an unpaved road winds all the way down to the Siang river. At dusk, all that is visible at the beginning of the dirt road is the glint of freshly painted yellow barricades of the State police and the shine from the silver of the concertina wires that connect the barricades. The Central security forces who guard the check post here have two purposes — to respond to “unrest” and to stop anyone without “clearance” from proceeding to Siang’s waters.
Parong, in Siang district, is one of the three proposed sites identified by the State government for a Pre-Feasibility Report (PFR) to begin work on the Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP), developed by the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC).
water (natural resource) / Arunachal Pradesh / Ground Zero / environmental issues / land resources / demonstration
- siang
- dam
- homeland
- community
- force
- state
- adi
- upper
