Farmers oppose MoA for power project

ITANAGAR, 28 Apr: The Siang Indigenous Farmers’ Forum (SIFF) has expressed objection to the memorandum of agreement (MoA) for constructing a 13 GW power project, worth Rs 1.5 trillion, proposed to be signed next week by the state government and the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC).

The SIFF said that it submitted representations to the governor, the chief secretary and the power ministry in this regard on 26 April, and claimed that the NHPC “is forcefully conducting survey activities during the night, in spite of the strong and stiff opposition from the dam-affected farmers and the SIFF.”

“Construction of such huge dams on the Siang river will lead to submergence of all the developmental activities undertaken till date in the Siang valley,” the forum said, and added that the affected villagers were neither informed, and nor were their consent sought prior to the proposed signing of the MoA.