Arunachal's Siang Upper Multipurpose Project is of national significance: CM Khandu

Attending the ‘Thanks giving’ programme of local legislator and Panchayati Raj Minister Ojing Tasing on his electoral victory at Boleng, the Chief Minister told the gathering : “If you don’t want a dam, if you don’t want a hydropower project, there won’t be. Chapter closed.”

“But,” he added, “The case at hand is not about a hydropower project, its about a multipurpose project and it is a project of national importance and envisioned by the government of India and the NITI Aayog.

Khandu said that ‘misinformation’ is being circulated to brainwash innocent villagers against a project, which is not even in its pre-initial stage.

Insisting on ‘misinformation’ being spread, he pointed that people who are ‘instigating’ the protesters are themselves confused whether the said projectis of ‘12500 MW’, ‘11000 MW’ or ‘10,000 MW”.

“Being the Chief Minister I am not aware, not even NHPC (National Hydroelectric Power Corporation) is aware of the exact wattage of power the project would generate. How do you know the capacity of the project when the survey and investigation process has not even begun ?” he wondered.

Khandu asserted that the project is not all about generating hydropower.

“Hydropower generation is a by-product of the multipurpose project by default. The real objective of the project is to save Ane Siang and the Adi society that has been connected with the river since time immemorial,” he said.

Elaborating on it, he said that China has already approved construction of a project that would generate a massive power of about 60,000 MW on the river – known as Yarlung Tsangpo in the Tibet region just before entering India through Tuting in Upper Siang.

He revealed that the Chinese government, which is not signatory to the International Water Conventions, intends to divert the water from the multiple water reservoirs to be created under the project to dry regions of Tibet and elsewhere in the country.

“In such a scenario it is inevitable that the volume of water in the Siang river would drastically get reduced so much that during winters you will be able to cross the mighty Siang on foot. Would you like such a situation? I certainly won’t,” Khandu said.

The other reason for the Siang multipurpose project, he said, is that in case China released water from their dams all of a sudden, a trail of unimaginable destruction would sweep through the Siang belt, Assam and Bangladesh.

“Yes we are optimistic that with the progress being made through bilateral talks with China, relations will improve but we cannot remain complacent and be prepared for the unseen,” Khandu said.

The Siang Upper Multipurpose Project, he said, has been proposed by the central government to maintain natural flow of water in the river all year round and flood modulation in case of water release by China.

Reiterating that Arunachal Pradesh has about 50 per cent of the country’s hydropower potential, Khandu informed that the 12,500 MW that would be generated from the projects for which MoUs have been signed with PSUs will generate about Rs 10,000 crore annually for the state exchequer.

“Please be informed that the 12,500 MW, I am mentioning, does not include the Siang project. We do not know yet the amount of power that this project will generate if at all executed,” he added.

Negating ‘rumors’ that the government intends to forcibly execute the project by using armed police forces, Khandu said, “We are a democratic country. We do not believe in forcing projects on our own people. We believe in taking into confidence the last man in the queue.”

He welcomed ‘questions’ and admitted that ‘confusions’ are bound to rise but urged the people to come forward and clear their confusions.

“Only after survey and investigation, we will know where the dam will come up and what height it would be of and how much will be the submergence area. Then will come the ‘public hearing’ stage, where everyone will be consulted. There are several stages with prudent rules and guidelines before the start of a project. We haven’t yet started and all hue and cry has begun,” he pointed.

The Chief Minister urged the Committee constituted under the chairmanship of former minister and senior leader of the Adi community, Tamio Taga, to reach to everyone, especially the villagers, and disperse all doubts and confusions.

“Take your time. Clear your doubts. We are not in any hurry,” he added.

Local people led by Siang Indigenous Farmers Forum (SIFF) continuously agitate opposing the preliminary study for the proposed 12,500-MW hydropower project, which is a part of the ambitious multipurpose Project in Upper Siang district.

Often the villagers, including women, organise rallies and demonstrations against the project, the state-owned National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) and the state government.