ITANAGAR, 1 Sep: The Kamala Dam Affected People’s Forum (KDAPF) has expressed concern over a number of issues surrounding the construction of the proposed Kamala Hydroelectric Power Project (1,750 mw) by the NHPC Ltd, and appealed to the state government to ensure that all legal and procedural requirements under the SIA framework and the FRA 2006 are followed before going ahead with the project.
The forum in a release on Monday stated that the mega project would directly affect the districts of Kamle, Kurung Kumey, and Kra Daadi, with approximately 3,200 hectares of land slated for acquisition. It informed that the memorandum of understanding, pre-feasibility report (PFR), and social impact assessment (SIA) have been completed, while compliance under the Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006, is still in progress.
The forum has, however, claimed that the SIA process was incomplete and not properly done as many genuinely affected families have been left out of the SIA records, raising questions about fairness and inclusivity. It also alleged violation of FRA 2006 procedures, and “politicization and manipulation in SIA and FRA implementation, leading to disputes over land ownership and bogus claims.”
“Such issues have already resulted in clan clashes in Kamporijo circle of Kamle district, and there is apprehension that more conflicts may arise, posing hurdles to the project’s progress. If the processes are not conducted lawfully, there is a risk of escalation of community disputes, inflated compensation claims, and serious law and order challenges in the project-affected areas,” it claimed.
The KDAPF demanded that the state government ensure that there is no political interference or manipulation in SIA/FRA reports, and to establish an independent monitoring mechanism to review SIA/FRA compliance and prevent corruption in compensation and rehabilitation measures.
It further urged the state government to issue orders for temporary depositing of all arms licences in the affected circles of Kamle, Kurung Kumey and Kra Daadi districts until the SIA and FRA processes are completed, to prevent violent clashes and maintain peace.
