Itanagar: Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu claimed that misinformation was being circulated to brainwash villagers against the proposed Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP). People who have been allegedly instigating the protesters against the project are confused about the capacity of the hydropower facility, he said.
“Being the chief minister I am not aware of the exact wattage of power the project will generate. Even NHPC is not aware of that. How do you know the capacity of the project when the survey and investigation process has not even begun?” Khandu asked at the ‘Thanks Giving’ programme of the local legislator and Panchayati Raj Minister Ojing Tasing on his electoral victory at Boleng in Siang district.
“If you don’t want a dam, if you don’t want a hydropower project, there won’t be no project...Chapter closed,” the chief minister said while addressing the function. Khandu also asserted that the project is not all about generating hydropower.
“It is a multipurpose project and is of national importance and has been envisioned by the Government of India and the Niti Aayog...Hydropower generation is a by-product of the multipurpose project. The real objective of the project is to save Siang (river) and the society connected with the river since time immemorial,” he said.
According to a release issued by CMO on Thursday, Khandu said that China has already approved the construction of a project that would generate a massive power of about 60,000 MW on the river just before entering India through Tuting in Upper Siang.
The river is known as Yarlung Tsangpo in the Tibet region, “In such a scenario, it is inevitable that the volume of water in the Siang River will drastically get reduced so much so that during winters you will be able to cross the mighty Siang on foot. Would you like such a situation? I certainly won’t,” Khandu said at the programme.
The other reason for the Siang multipurpose project is that in case the Chinese authorities release water from its dams, a trail of destruction will sweep through the Siang belt, Assam and Bangladesh, he said. “Yes we are optimistic that relations will improve with the progress being made through bilateral talks with China but we cannot remain complacent,” he pointed out.
