- Local communities fear displacement and environmental damage from proposed 11,200-MW project
- Government say dam essential for storage amid China's plans for a major upstream dam
India has deployed paramilitary troops in parts of its northeastern state of Arunachal Pradesh amid protests against a proposed mega hydropower project near the Chinese border.
The deployment follows a protest last week in the Siang Valley, which borders Tibet, during which four women were injured during a clash with police, according to reports.
The protesters were opposing the Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP), a proposed 11,200-megawatt project, saying the dam would submerge ancestral villages, destroy farmlands, displace large populations and disrupt livelihoods
Police said protesters vandalized police vehicles and pelted stones at security personnel.
What is the project?
First proposed as a national project by the Congress-led government in 2008, the Siang River project has since emerged as one of Arunachal Pradesh’s most contentious infrastructure proposals. The Congress party is now the main opposition party.
The project is considered strategically significant for India, particularly in light of China's plans for a major hydropower project upstream on the same river.
India views the proposed dam as a major water storage facility to regulate river flows and strengthen the country's water and energy security.
In December 2024, China announced plans to construct the world's largest hydropower dam upstream, officially known as the Medog Hydropower Station.
The proposed Chinese project has raised concerns in Arunachal Pradesh, where the state government has described it as an "existential threat."
China and India both claim Arunachal Pradesh, which China refers to as Zangnan and considers part of southern Tibet.
The Siang River flows into Arunachal Pradesh from Tibet, where it is known as the Yarlung Zangbo.
Why the protests?
The proposed project, to be developed by the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation, is located in the Siang Valley, where opposition has largely come from local communities, particularly members of the Adi tribe.
Residents fear the proposed dam could submerge ancestral villages, displace communities and disrupt their way of life.
The Adi Bane Kebang Youth (ABKU), a local grassroots movement, has warned that the dam could submerge several villages and cause extensive losses.
This week, it demanded the immediate release of its workers detained or arrested in connection with the protests.
Former Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Gegong Apang has called for the immediate cancellation of the proposed dam.
In New Delhi, the Congress has linked the protests to a wider movement among young people to protect the "environment and local communities'" rights.
"Gen Z across the country is taking to the streets. In Delhi, it is for education. In Arunachal Pradesh, it is to protect the forests, rivers and ecosystems that the Adi people have depended on for centuries," Congress leader Pawan Khera wrote on X.
Government response
Apart from strengthening security to counter the protests, the Arunachal Pradesh government has attributed growing apprehensions about the project to what it described as "misinformation and misconceptions."
Chief Minister Pema Khandu this week held a meeting with various groups to discuss the project and strengthen efforts to spread awareness across the state.
"Our people deserve accurate information to understand the project, its strategic importance and the concerns associated with it," he said.
At a separate meeting with legislators from different political parties, Khandu said discussions covered national security, environmental concerns and the apprehensions of local residents.
"Our priority is to protect national interests while respecting the rights and aspirations of the people of Siang Valley," he said.
Arunachal Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein recently took to US social media platform X to explain how India's proposed dam could help address concerns arising from China's planned 60,000-MW hydropower project upstream.
"The answer lies in understanding that MW measures power, not water. The proposed Medog Dam in China is primarily designed for hydropower generation, with an estimated height of around 2,000 meters (2 km) and storage capacity of 5.5 billion cubic meters," he said.
Mein said India's proposed dam, with a height of around 280-300 meters and live storage capacity of approximately 9.2 billion cubic meters, was primarily intended to store, regulate and manage water, alongside generating electricity.
"In the event of sudden releases or extreme flows upstream, this storage can help regulate downstream discharge and reduce the risk of flooding in the Siang basin and downstream areas of Arunachal Pradesh and Assam," he said.
