The Arunachal Pradesh Congress has opposed the deployment of a large number of security personnel in Siang and Upper Siang districts for survey and drilling work linked to the proposed Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP).
The party said development projects should not be pursued through force or intimidation and questioned the need for a heavy security presence if the proposed project enjoys the confidence and acceptance of local communities.
Arunachal Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) spokesperson Johny Yangfo raised the issue in a statement, saying security forces could be deployed to prevent untoward incidents but should not be used to create public confidence in a project.
“Consent cannot be manufactured under the shadow of guns, administrative pressure or financial inducement,” Yangfo said.
The Congress reaction came amid preparations for survey, drilling and the preparation of a preliminary feasibility report (PFR) for the proposed project. Siang Deputy Commissioner Tayi Taggu said the security deployment was intended to prevent any untoward incident during the PFR work. Attempts to contact Upper Siang Deputy Commissioner Talo Jerang were unsuccessful.
The Congress said people in the Siang region were not opposed to development as such, but had concerns relating to land, livelihoods, displacement, forests, biodiversity, cultural heritage, river ecology and seismic vulnerability.
The party said the Siang region is the ancestral homeland of indigenous communities and should not be viewed only as a resource zone for power generation.
The proposed SUMP, with an estimated capacity of around 11,000-11,200 MW, is expected to substantially increase Arunachal Pradesh’s hydropower generation capacity. However, sections of local communities and civil society groups have opposed the project, citing concerns over displacement, environmental impact, cultural heritage and seismic risks.
The Congress said the concerns surrounding the project made transparency, scientific assessment and wider consultation necessary before major decisions are taken. It called for independent scientific scrutiny and meaningful participation of affected communities.
The APCC also demanded the immediate withdrawal of what it described as the “excessive deployment” of central armed police forces and other security personnel from villages and project survey areas.
The party called for suspension of coercive project-related activities until a transparent consultation process is completed and said survey or investigation work should not be carried out through force or intimidation.
It urged the state government to hold a structured and time-bound dialogue with affected indigenous communities, village institutions, kebangs, civil society organisations and other stakeholders.
The Congress also sought an independent assessment of the project’s environmental, social, cultural, geological and seismic impacts by credible experts.
The party clarified that its position was not against development or responsible hydropower generation, but against what it described as a development approach that could compromise people’s rights, ecology and cultural heritage.
“Siang is not a battlefield. Its people are not adversaries. They are citizens, not subjects,” the party said, calling for development based on the consent and confidence of local communities.
