Urgent: Adi Group’s Brave Stand Against Devastating Mega Hydropower Project in Siang River
Pasighat: Adi Community Defies 11,000 MW Siang Upper Hydroelectric Project Over Ecological Concerns and Land Displacement
Amid rising anxieties over the proposed 11,000 MW Siang Upper Hydroelectric Project in Arunachal Pradesh, the Adi Bachao, a coalition of Adi community members, is staunchly opposing the construction of a mega dam in the Parong area of the Siang River. NHPC Ltd, leading the project, has encountered significant pushback from local residents.
Omuk Aje, the general secretary of Adi Bachao, voiced the community’s unified resistance, emphasizing the potentially devastating ecological impact of the dam. Aje warned that the construction would inundate numerous villages and towns across the Siang, East Siang, and Upper Siang districts, leaving hundreds of farming families landless.
“This mega dam at Parong will submerge multiple villages and towns in Siang, East Siang, and Upper Siang districts, displacing hundreds of farming families,” Aje stated, adding that downstream areas would also suffer adverse effects.
Adi Bachao criticized the NHPC and the Arunachal Pradesh government for not adequately informing residents about the potential impacts, which has heightened local apprehension. The group demands a thorough assessment of upstream and downstream effects and a robust mitigation plan before any hydropower projects in the Siang belt proceed.
“We cannot endorse any hydropower dam in the Siang belt without a comprehensive impact assessment and a publicized mitigation policy,” Aje asserted.
Aje also called upon residents of the impacted North Assam districts to join their movement against the proposed mega dam.
Tabeng Megu, president of Adi Bachao, reiterated the group’s longstanding opposition to large-scale dams on the Siang River. The community fears that natural disasters could lead to dam collapses, posing catastrophic risks to the Adi civilization.
Megu condemned the NHPC for conducting surveys and preparing feasibility reports without local involvement. Adi Bachao signaled that only small-scale dams with assured safety measures and economic benefits for affected communities would gain their support.
Original Story https://nenow.in/north-east-news/arunachal-pradesh/arunachal-adi-group-opposes-mega-hydropower-project-in-siang-river.html
Category : Arunachal,Northeast News,Top News
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