PASIGHAT, 11 Oct: A consultative discussion on the proposed Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP) between the NHPC and delegates of the East Siang Downstream Dam Affected People’s Forum(ESDDAPF) was held at the NHPC office here in East Siang district on Saturday.
The ESDDAPF delegation was led by its president Oni Tamuk, vice president Nalo Ering, and general secretary Jobomchang Mengu.
NHPC Siang Lower Project General Manager (Civil) Amar Nath Jha briefed the participants on the key aspects of the project. He highlighted the “strategic and water security importance” of the SUMP. He said also that the project is aimed to achieve multiple objectives, such as flood moderation, water security, and hydropower generation, while simultaneously driving regional growth through enhanced infrastructure, employment opportunities, and community welfare programmes.
Jha further stated that the dam would be constructed to protect the downstream area from flash floods, and that the regulated flow from the dam would control downstream riverbank erosion.
He further stated that the dam would serve as a vital safeguard for the Adi community, strengthening the long-term resilience and sustainability of the Siang region.
He appealed to the ESDDAPF to support the activities related to preparing the PFR, and to create grassroots awareness regarding the importance and necessity of the SUMP.
Tamuk, Ering, and Mengu from the ESSDAPF also expressed their views and concerns over the SUMP. They were informed that vulnerable locations, susceptible to soil erosion of riverbanks due to dam discharge, would be identified during the DPR stage for consideration in the EMP studies.
The NHPC reiterated its resolve to work closely with community organizations to ensure that the SUMP benefits the region while addressing environmental and social sensitivities.
