Correspondent
PASIGHAT, 22 Sep: Amidst growing concern over the proposed 11,000 mw Siang Upper Hydroelectric Project, the Adi Bachao, a collective of Adi community members, is vehemently opposing the construction of a mega dam at the Parong portion of the Siang river.
The National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) is pursuing the project, which has faced significant opposition from the local Adi community.
Talking to this correspondent in Pasighat on Sunday, Omuk Aje, the general secretary of Adi Bachao, said that the people have vehemently opposed construction of any mega dam in their area.
“The common people of Siang belt are not supporting a mega hydropower dam on the Siang river, fearing that it may cause major ecological catastrophe in the future,” Aje said.
He expressed deep concern over the potential ecological consequences of the dam, fearing that it could cause widespread devastation in the future.
“The construction of the mega dam at Parong would inundate numerous villages and towns in Siang, East Siang and Upper Siang districts and render hundreds of families landless,” he said.
“Once the mega hydropower dam at Parong is constructed, it will inundate many villages and towns in the three districts, and several hundred farm families of the belt will be landless,” Aje said.
He added that the mega dam will adversely affect the people living in the downstream areas.
The Adi Bachao slammed the NHPC and the state government for failing to inform the local residents about the potential impacts of the mega dam. The organisation demanded a comprehensive assessment of both upstream and downstream effects, along with a clear mitigation policy to address the potential risks before supporting any hydropower dam in the Siang belt.
“We cannot support the construction of any hydropower dam in the Siang belt until an assessment of upstream and downstream impact and proper mitigation policy against probable effects is made public,” he said.
Stating that the hydropower projects on rivers of the Siang belt would have significant impact in downstream Assam, Aje appealed to the people of Assam to join their movement and raise voice to scrap the proposed mega dams.
Adi Bachao president Tabeng Megu reiterated the organisation’s longstanding opposition to mega hydropower dams in the Siang river. Megu lashed out at the NHPC for conducting surveys and preparing a pre-feasibility report without involving the local people.
The Adi Bachao leaders stated that they would only support construction of small dams in the Siang belt if the authorities concerned ensure safety measures and economic development for the affected people.
