The North East Human Rights (NEHR) organization has stated that the assessment and land acquisition process for the Kalai-II Hydroelectric Project (HEP) should be halted due to multiple flaws in the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA).
According to NEHR, the study conducted by WAPCOS Ltd. contains numerous errors, including clear evidence of copy-paste work, indicating a lack of originality and due diligence. The organization alleged this in a letter addressed to the Deputy Commissioner of Anjaw district.
NEHR further claimed that the EIA is riddled with inconsistencies and lacks thorough research, raising serious concerns about the legitimacy of the process. It has since issued a legal notice to WAPCOS, seeking clarification on grounds of alleged cheating and fraud under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, as well as the illegal acquisition of Scheduled Tribe land through forged and false reporting.
Previously, some villagers had raised concerns about a lack of transparency in conducting the EIA and Social Impact Assessment (SIA). They have submitted a formal complaint to the Arunachal Pradesh State Pollution Control Board.
The project is being executed by THDC India Limited, a subsidiary of NTPC. While the government is aggressively pushing for hydropower development, it must, at the very least, adhere to established environmental regulations. The safety concerns surrounding such projects are not hypothetical-they have materialized in other parts of the state.
A multi-seasonal study must be undertaken with due diligence, and the fears and concerns of the local population must be genuinely addressed. Pushing forward with a project while ignoring valid grievances will only foster distrust, deepen resistance, and lead to irreversible environmental damage.