Massive opposition to Siang Mega Dam echoes in Delhi press meet

By A Representative 

Members of the Siang Indigenous Farmer’s Forum (SIFF) have held a press conference at the Press Club of India, New Delhi, voicing staunch opposition to the proposed Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP). The massive hydropower dam planned over the Siang River—with a projected capacity exceeding 11,000 MW and a height above 500 meters above sea level—has sparked intense protests from tribal communities in Arunachal Pradesh and downstream Assam. The proposed dam threatens to displace over 1.5 lakh people, mostly from the Adi and other indigenous tribes, submerge 27 villages, and obliterate ancestral lands, traditional livelihoods, and sacred heritage sites such as Kekar Moying, a key historical site of the Anglo-Abor conflict.

SIFF raised alarms about severe and irreversible ecological degradation the project would cause, including the destruction of biodiversity hotspots, loss of endemic species and medicinal plants, large-scale deforestation, and disruption of fragile riverine ecosystems. The proposed site falls in seismic zone V, raising the risk of dam-induced seismic activity, including erosion, landslides, and floods. Climate-change-induced glacier melt and the resulting threat of Glacier Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs) on rivers such as Siang and Dibang were highlighted as grave dangers.

The forum drew attention to similar patterns of environmental and human rights violations associated with other dam projects in Arunachal Pradesh, notably the 2880 MW Dibang Dam. Protestors were silenced through the imposition of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) in the Lower Dibang Valley, and the National Green Tribunal (NGT) took suo moto cognisance of violations of forest clearance norms. A critical concern was the absence of a comprehensive cumulative impact assessment of all dams on the Dibang River, particularly for the 45 km downstream stretch leading into Assam’s Sadiya region, triggering widespread anxiety among residents.

SIFF also brought up past human rights violations, including reports of fatal shootings of monks protesting dam projects in Tawang. The forum condemned the increasing militarisation in Siang District, where Central Armed Police Forces have been deployed since December 2024, viewing it as a deliberate attempt to suppress opposition rather than engage in democratic dialogue. They warned that such tactics foster fear and undermine trust in any development initiative.

Addressing the geopolitical aspect, SIFF member and legal advisor Bhanu Tatak refuted the narrative that India’s Brahmaputra dam-building is a counter to a so-called Chinese “Water Bomb.” She stated that only 30% of the Yarlung Tsangpo contributes to the Siang and challenged the claim made by Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu as misinformed. Citing data suggesting China is building a multi-reservoir integrated energy project rather than a destructive weapon, she urged the Indian Government to publicly seek and share complete details on China’s dam construction in Medog County, initiated in July. Tatak demanded that these transboundary developments and their assessments be made fully transparent to the public.

SIFF and its representatives, including advocate Ebo Mili, condemned the ongoing surveys and pre-construction activities of the SUMP as being conducted without the Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC) of the Indigenous communities. They alleged violations of both international human rights commitments and constitutional safeguards for tribal populations. Specific allegations included the suspension of village heads opposing the project, arbitrary arrests and detentions of SIFF members and protestors, criminalisation of leaders of SIFF and the Adi Student Union, forgery of MoU signatures in villages such as Riga, Pangkang, and Riew, and non-consensual Corporate Social Responsibility activities worth over ₹325 crores slated for 2023–2029. They also cited the violation of Guwahati High Court’s PIL No. 10/14, and arbitrary curbs imposed by local authorities to stifle dissent.

The press conference painted a deeply troubling picture of developmental overreach, Indigenous displacement, environmental degradation, and suppression of dissent in the name of national interest. SIFF vowed to continue its resistance and demanded an immediate halt to all dam-related activities until all concerns are addressed in a transparent, participatory, and rights-respecting manner.