Context: The proposed Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP) in Arunachal Pradesh has triggered protests by the Adi tribal community, which fears displacement, submergence of villages and loss of traditional livelihoods.
- The community claims that at least 40 villages will be affected, including 27 facing submergence.
- The government argues that the project will regulate river flows, reduce flood risks in Arunachal Pradesh and Assam, strengthen water and energy security and generate employment.
- Protests have intensified, with arrests of activists and allegations of excessive force against demonstrators.
What is the Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP)?
- Location: Siang River, Arunachal Pradesh. The Siang is known as the Brahmaputra after it enters Assam.
- Implementing agency: National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC).
- Status: Declared a national project in 2008.
- Proposed capacity: 11,000–11,200 MW of electricity generation.
- Dam specifications: Proposed height of approximately 280–300 metres, with around 9.2 billion cubic metres of live storage capacity.
- Live storage: Usable water stored in a reservoir that can be released for various purposes, excluding the dead storage at the bottom.
- Present stage: Only at the Pre-Feasibility Report (PFR) stage, being prepared by NHPC to assess the project's technical and economic viability.
- Potential sites: Parong, Ditte Dime and Uggeng.
Clearance requirements:
- Large dam projects require multiple statutory approvals, including environmental and forest clearances.
- Expert appraisal committees constituted by the Central Government examine environmental and other project-related impacts.
- Detailed studies include one year of baseline environmental data, dam-break analysis and a disaster management plan.
Why is the Adi Community Opposing the Project?
- Displacement and Submergence
- At least 40 villages are expected to be affected, with 27 allegedly facing complete submergence.
- Submergence would destroy agricultural land, particularly paddy fields and orange orchards, affecting traditional livelihoods.
- Threat to Cultural and Religious Identity
- The project threatens ancestral burial grounds and river-linked religious practices.
- The Siang River is deeply connected with the cultural identity, traditional practices and livelihoods of the Adi community.
- Consent and Procedural Concerns
- Villagers allege that signatures on Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) for the PFR were obtained through deception, pressure and threats to withhold welfare benefits.
- The MoU reviewed by The Hindu reportedly specifies consent only for the PFR study and not for actual dam construction.
- Protesters have questioned the legitimacy of the consent-gathering process.
Escalation of Protests
- October 4: Alleged police lathi-charge on elderly protesters injured 54 people.
- October 9: Activists were arrested under the State's unlawful activities law.
- October 23: A protest march in Pasighat turned violent, and NHPC premises were set on fire.
- Protesting groups rejected the State government's offer for talks scheduled on November 5.
What is the Government's Rationale?
- Flood management: The reservoir would store and regulate water, potentially reducing flood risks in Arunachal Pradesh and downstream Assam.
- Water security: Large storage capacity could help regulate river flows during periods of sudden upstream water releases.
- Strategic security: The project is considered important in view of China's proposed large hydropower project upstream on the Yarlung Tsangpo.
- Employment generation: Construction and associated activities are expected to create employment opportunities for local youth.
- Hydropower generation: The project could generate 11,000–11,200 MW of electricity, although the Deputy Chief Minister has described power generation as a secondary benefit.
China Factor: Medog Dam and India's Water Security
- China's proposed project: China is developing a massive hydropower project near Medog in Tibet, on the Yarlung Tsangpo River, which flows into India as the Siang/Brahmaputra.
- Reported capacity: Approximately 60,000 MW.
- India's concern: An upstream dam could potentially influence the timing and volume of water flows into India, creating concerns regarding downstream water security.
- Government's argument: SUMP's proposed storage capacity of 9.2 billion cubic metres could help cushion sudden releases from upstream projects.
- Local opposition: Some villagers question why their communities should bear the displacement costs arising from the absence of a comprehensive water-sharing agreement between India and China.
- Alternative proposed: Some Adi villagers have suggested constructing dams on smaller tributaries instead of a massive dam on the Siang.
Hydropower Development in Arunachal Pradesh: Background
- Arunachal Pradesh is considered one of India's major hydropower potential regions because of its mountainous terrain and numerous rivers.
- According to The Hindu, the State signed approximately 143 hydropower agreements during the late 2000s, although most projects did not materialise.
- An earlier environmental assessment brief for a 3,750 MW Siang Upper Stage-II project indicates that large-scale dam development in the region has been considered in different forms for years.
- The present controversy reflects the tension between harnessing hydropower potential and protecting ecologically fragile areas and indigenous communities.
Can Water Become an Instrument of Geopolitical Pressure?
- Water weaponisation: Upstream countries may potentially influence downstream water availability through control over river flows and reservoir operations.
- Conflict-related use: Destruction of dams and deliberate flooding have historically been used as instruments during conflicts.
- Upstream advantage: Countries controlling the upper reaches of transboundary rivers can exercise significant influence over downstream water flows, although dams do not automatically imply deliberate weaponisation.
International Examples
- Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD): Constructed by Ethiopia on the Blue Nile and formally inaugurated in 2025.
- Downstream concerns: Egypt and Sudan have opposed aspects of the project and demanded binding agreements on reservoir filling and operation.
- India-Pakistan Indus Waters Treaty (1960): Allocated the eastern rivers (Ravi, Beas and Sutlej) to India and the western rivers (Indus, Jhelum and Chenab) to Pakistan.
- Developments in 2025–26: India placed the treaty in abeyance following the April 2025 Pahalgam terror attack. A Court of Arbitration ruled on August 31, 2026, that the treaty remained in force and that placing it in abeyance was unauthorised. India, however, does not recognise the court's jurisdiction.
Important Concepts for UPSC
- Pre-Feasibility Report (PFR)
- An initial technical and economic assessment of a proposed project.
- Examines project viability, possible locations, broad costs and major constraints.
- Helps determine whether a detailed feasibility study should be undertaken.
- It is not equivalent to environmental clearance or final project approval.
- Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)
- A systematic process to identify and evaluate the likely environmental consequences of a proposed development project before approval.
- In India, governed primarily by the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 and EIA Notification, 2006.
- Examines impacts on forests, biodiversity, water resources, local communities and livelihoods.
- Provides for environmental appraisal and public consultation, subject to applicable regulatory provisions.
- Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC)
- A principle emphasising that indigenous communities should be able to participate in decisions affecting their lands, resources and livelihoods.
- Free: Without coercion or intimidation.
- Prior: Before the proposed activity is approved or undertaken.
- Informed: Based on adequate information about potential consequences.
- Relevant to India's tribal rights framework, particularly the Forest Rights Act, 2006, and Gram Sabha decision-making processes.
Way Forward
- Meaningful community consultation: Ensure transparent consultations with affected Adi villages and address concerns regarding consent.
- Independent impact assessment: Conduct comprehensive environmental, social and cultural impact assessments before taking construction-related decisions.
- Rehabilitation and resettlement: Develop fair compensation, livelihood restoration and rehabilitation measures for affected families.
- Explore alternatives: Examine smaller tributary-based projects and other less-disruptive water storage options.
- Transboundary water cooperation: Strengthen data-sharing and institutional dialogue with China regarding upstream hydropower projects and river flows.
- Disaster preparedness: Undertake dam-break modelling, downstream flood-risk assessment and robust emergency management planning.
- Participatory development: Involve local communities in project planning, benefit-sharing and monitoring mechanisms.
Conclusion: The Siang project highlights the complex relationship between hydropower development, indigenous rights, environmental sustainability and national water security. Infrastructure development in ecologically sensitive and tribal regions must combine strategic considerations with meaningful community participation, scientific assessment and protection of traditional livelihoods.
