The Arunachal government has finally agreed to talk — but not before silencing one of the loudest voices opposing the Siang Upper Multipurpose Project. ITANAGAR, October 3 — Something interesting happened this week in Arunachal Pradesh. After Chief Minister Pema Khandu completed a tour of Upper Siang and Siang districts — a visit that drew … Read more
When the Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh has to flee by helicopter from his own state’s district, something has gone deeply, seriously wrong. That is exactly what happened in Yingkiong on September 30, when protests over the proposed Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP) turned violent — forcing Chief Minister Pema Khandu to cut short his … Read more
YINGKIONG, September 30, 2026: Protests against the proposed Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP) intensified across Upper Siang district on Wednesday as Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu visited Yingkiong amid continuing opposition to the government’s proposed Pre-Feasibility Report (PFR) process. The Chief Minister’s two-day visit to Siang and Upper Siang districts coincided with strikes, road … Read more
There is a project that is dividing Arunachal Pradesh right down the middle — and the government just made it clear it is not backing down. Arunachal Pradesh Minister Ojing Tasing came out swinging on Thursday in defence of the controversial Siang Upper Multipurpose Project, better known as SUMP, while simultaneously sending a stern warning … Read more
At 72, Ninong Ering has seen rivers rise and communities drown in floodwaters more times than he can count. So when he says he supports the Siang Upper Multipurpose Project, it doesn’t come across as a political statement. It sounds more like a man who’s been waiting half a century to finally say I told … Read more
The Siang River can be both a lifeline and a time bomb — and Arunachal Pradesh’s Chief Minister wants people to understand the difference before it’s too late. Pema Khandu sat down with Community-Based Organisation (CBO) members, government officers and local officials at Yingkiong on September 30, and the conversation wasn’t about politics or projects. … Read more
The fate of one of the most ambitious — and most debated — infrastructure projects in Northeast India now rests on a single document. Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu said loud and clear on September 29 that the proposed Siang Upper Multi-Purpose Project, known as SUMP, will not move an inch forward unless the … Read more
In the middle of a busy school week, hundreds of students across Siang district sat down not for a math test or a history lesson — but to ask hard questions about a river they’ve grown up beside their whole lives. A school exhibition drive centred on the proposed Siang Upper Multipurpose Project, widely known … Read more
The Arunachal Pradesh government just made a move to fast-track one of the most controversial infrastructure projects in the state’s history — and it’s already stirring up fresh friction. The state Cabinet, on September 24, gave its approval to form an empowered high-level committee that will guide and coordinate the pre-feasibility report (PFR) survey for … Read more
The Siang Upper Multipurpose Project has long been a powder keg in Arunachal Pradesh. On Monday, Chief Minister Pema Khandu lit a match. Amid mounting resistance from indigenous communities against pre-feasibility report (PFR) activities for the proposed Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP), Khandu convened a high-stakes consultative meeting in Itanagar — pulling in hundreds of … Read more
