The government insists the massive dam is about water control, not electricity. But with China looming large upstream and local communities pushing back hard, the debate around Siang is far from over. When a government official says a proposed 11,200-megawatt hydroelectric project is not really about power generation, it makes you stop and think. And … 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
Pema Khandu says the government will not push the SUMP against the people’s will. Yet roads are blocked, four villagers were detained, and security is pouring in. Something doesn’t add up. The Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh says he won’t use force. But try telling that to the villagers of Geku, who spent Monday blocking … Read more
The Siang River has flowed through the heart of Arunachal Pradesh for centuries — feeding farms, sustaining cultures, and binding the Adi people to their ancestral land. Now, a proposed mega-dam threatens to bury all of that under hundreds of metres of water. And the people who call this valley home are not going quietly. … Read more
