| Staff REPORTER |
ITANAGAR, Nov 2: Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu has assured the people of the Siang and Upper Siang districts, particularly the Adi community, that no decision on the construction of the proposed Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP) will be taken without detailed public consultation and consent, reiterating that the project is currently only at the pre-feasibility report (PFR) stage.
In a detailed statement addressed to the people of the Siang region on Monday, Khandu said he understood the concerns and apprehensions surrounding the proposed project, particularly its possible implications for ancestral land, homes, livelihoods and the Siang River, revered by the Adi community as Aane Siang.
He said the government would address public concerns through open dialogue, transparency and meaningful consultation, and would move forward only after considering the aspirations and interests of the people.
Explaining the background of the project, Khandu said the Siang Upper Multipurpose Project was declared a National Project by the Union government on February 7, 2008, following a Union Cabinet decision. It is among 16 National Projects in the country, he said.
The Chief Minister said the preparation of a PFR was necessary to examine the project's basic feasibility and possible implications and to establish facts before any further consideration. He stressed that a PFR was neither final approval nor a decision to construct the dam.
Khandu cited reports of China’s construction of a dam in Medog County, around 40 km from the international border, on the Yarlung Tsangpo river, which he said began on July 19, 2025. He expressed concern over the absence of consultation or information-sharing with India and pointed to potential water-related risks for the Siang Valley.
According to him, around 65 per cent of the Siang's water originates in China, exposing the valley to the possibility of sudden and exceptionally high flows as well as water scarcity during the dry winter months. He said the state needed to prepare for such eventualities and build resilience, adding that the proposed SUMP was one of the options that could be scientifically and technically examined to help maintain ecological flow in the Siang and Brahmaputra rivers.
Making his position on the construction of the project clear, Khandu said neither the Union government nor the Arunachal Pradesh government had taken a decision to build the SUMP. He gave a personal commitment that no such decision would be made without detailed and extensive public consultations and public consent.
He also referred to the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013, and the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, in the context of the legal requirements governing the process.
The Chief Minister said the PFR would also help examine other possible options for protecting Aane Siang. He acknowledged that uncertainty had caused anxiety among residents but assured them that the government would provide clarity and continued support and would not abandon the people midway through the process.
Expressing concern over what he described as misinformation about the project, Khandu rejected claims that a decision to construct the dam had already been taken or that families would be forcibly displaced and land acquired without consent. He said people deserved accurate information to understand the project's objectives, strategic significance and associated concerns.
Emphasising that disagreement was a democratic right and every voice mattered, he said the government was committed to listening to residents, understanding their apprehensions and addressing them transparently.
At the same time, Khandu appealed for peace and restraint, saying violence, bandhs, blockades and attacks would not resolve the issue and would instead cause hardship to local people. He cautioned that those resorting to violence, threatening others or taking the law into their own hands would be dealt with under the law.
The Chief Minister also appreciated the initiative taken by the Arunachal Indigenous Tribes Forum and community-based organisations to promote peace and dialogue in the Siang region.
Calling for free and frank discussions on the project, Khandu invited residents of Siang and Upper Siang districts and members of the Adi community to engage with public representatives and government officials. He said he and other representatives were willing to discuss all aspects of the project with the people.
Describing Aane Siang as a shared heritage that had united generations, Khandu appealed to the community not to allow rumours, anger and misinformation to determine its collective future. He said decisions concerning the river and the region would have consequences for generations to come and urged all stakeholders to find a way forward through dialogue and mutual understanding.