Dibrugarh: After initial reluctance, most villagers in Arunachal Pradesh’s Siang belt have agreed to allow a Pre-Feasibility Survey (PFR) for the proposed 11,000-megawatt Siang Upper Multi-Purpose Project, officials said. The project, declared one of national interest, has been entrusted to state-owned NHPC to explore construction of a mega dam on the Siang River across Upper Siang and Siang districts.
Earlier resistance from communities-rooted in fears over land loss-led to protests and occasional violence. Officials and local administrators intensified outreach in the likely affected areas, and a majority of residents have now signed memorandums of understanding (MoUs) permitting NHPC and authorities to carry out the PFR.
The government has stressed that the MoUs cover only the survey phase and that a negative PFR will halt the project and lead to its closure. A PFR is an initial technical, environmental and social assessment to determine whether a large project is viable; it does not commit communities to construction. During a visit to the Siang region to gauge changing local sentiment, reporters spoke to several villagers who reiterated that their consent applies only to the survey.
Some residents voiced hopes that a dam could boost tourism and create jobs. “There is no tourist place in Siang and if the dam is constructed, then it can become a tourist place and people will come here. Employment generation will happen if the dam comes up,” one local said. Others remain cautious: “Many are not signing the PFR because they think that if the PFR is feasible, then the government can force them. Many have signed the MoU for PFR, not for construction,” another resident said.
Local leaders and activists have urged the administration to step up awareness drives so communities better understand the survey’s scope, potential impacts and their rights. The future of the Siang Upper project, officials reiterated, will depend entirely on the findings of the PFR.
Original Source: https://nenow.in/north-east-news/arunachal-pradesh/arunachal-authorities-to-conduct-pfr-for-11000-mw-siang-upper-multi-purpose-project.html
Category: Arunachal,Northeast News,Top News
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Publish Date: 2026-04-14 19:20:00
