Arunachal Pradesh chief minister Pema Khandu on Monday evening said no decision has been taken on the proposed 11,200-MW Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP) and all concerns surrounding the construction of the mega dam would be addressed through open dialogue, transparency and meaningful public consultation.
The chief minister said the project, declared a National Project in 2008, gained strategic significance following China’s commencement of construction of a massive hydropower project on the Yarlung Tsangpo River in Tibet in July 2025.
The chief minister’s remarks come amid intense opposition from sections of the indigenous Adi community, particularly residents of the proposed project-affected areas, over apprehensions that the dam may result in submergence of ancestral villages, cause displacement and loss of agricultural land and forests, and possibly disrupt the community’s traditional way of life. The state government, however, maintains the project is a strategic safeguard against China’s massive hydropower development upstream, on the Yarlung Tsangpo River in Tibet. “Let me be clear. The Congress accused the authorities of intimidating protesters and increasing security deployment in the region, saying national interest and energy security could not override indigenous rights, environmental concerns and the consent of affected communities.
In a detailed statement, Khandu said neither the Centre nor the state government had finalised the construction of the proposed 11,000-MW project. In a 10-point charter addressed to the Centre and the state government, the party sought the unconditional release of detained protesters, withdrawal of cases registered against activists and gaon buras , and revocation of suspension orders against government employees who participated in peaceful demonstrations.
We are not talking about dam construction at this stage,” he said, adding that the government was considering only a Pre-Feasibility Report (PFR) to assess the project’s viability and potential implications.
The opposition Congress has also demanded the scrapping of the project and called for a 36-hour bandh from Monday, disrupting normal life in the Upper Siang district.
