Guwahati: People in two districts of Arunachal Pradesh - Siang and Upper Siang districts - have strongly opposed the state government's move to militarize the region to ensure smooth conduct of the pre feasibility report (PFR) regarding the 11000 MW Siang Upper Multipurpose project.
The protesters in Siang and Upper Siang districts decided to hold a massive silent rally in Parong area in Siang district on Monday to protest against the carrying out the pre feasibility report for the proposed mega hydro power project.
The fresh agitation came in view of the BJP led government's plan to deploy several companies of the CAPF to protect the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) office and to stop any protest programme by the villagers that might lead to law and order situation. The State home department has asked the Deputy Commissioner of Siang and Upper Siang districts to arrange accommodation for the deployment of CAPF and State police forces including women battalions of the CAPF and State police force. The district administrations were asked to get the arrangements ready for deployment of forces by December 15.
It may be mentioned here that the government is planning to deploy forces strategically - five companies of CAPF in Siang, one in East Siang, and their deployment will be strategically planned to cover all the strategic locations like NHPC offices and camps. Along with them, State Police and Lady Police contingents will be deployed to ensure an all-round security arrangement. These forces will keep up vigil round the clock, providing 24-hour protection to important sites, including NHPC offices at Boleng and Pasighat.
The locals, however, have been opposing the mega dam project which has a capacity of producing 11000 MW of hydro power. Their express concerns that the project will inundate several villages and threaten livelihood of people in the two districts - Siang and Upper Siang. "The mega dam project will displace hundreds of indigenous families in the two districts," said Gegong Jejong, president of the Siang Indigenous Farmers' Forum (SIFF).
"Half of the Siang and Upper Siang districts will be affected due to the project. While 13 villages will be completely submerged after the dam is constructed, a total of about 34 villages will also be severely affected due to the project. The indigenous people who rely solely on paddy cultivation and the orange orchards for sustenance will lose their livelihood," said Jejong.
"We are going to organize a peaceful rally tomorrow. We have two demands--to withdraw the CAPF deployment and to cancel the proposed PFR regarding the Siang Upper Multipurpose project completely," said Dubit Siram, an activist who is involved in organizing the rally at Parong tomorrow. Siram further said that the district administration has also been trying to threaten the gaon burhas (village heads and community elders) in and around the area to make sure that there is no protest regarding the mega dam project.
The NHPC plans to construct the main dam across the Siang river and upon completion, the dam reservoir will hold 10 billion cubic meters of water. The hydro power project at Siang will alone generate between 10,000 and 12,000 MW, making it the largest hydroelectric dam in the Indian subcontinent.
It may be mentioned here that a student body of Arunachal Pradesh in 2010 had appealed to the Environment Ministry of the Central government to scrap various hydroelectric projects in Assam and Arunachal Pradesh (including Siang project) due to potential adverse environmental impact. The ministry however, said that while the projects will not be cancelled, necessary precautions will be undertaken to ensure minimal environmental impact.
