River of Contention: The Battle for Upper Siang Dam. Development vs. Indigenous Rights

ARUNACHAL PRADESH, INDIA – A storm of protest is brewing in the remote valleys of Northeast India over the proposed Upper Siang Multipurpose Hydropower Project. This ambitious mega-dam, championed by the government as a cornerstone of energy security and strategic water management, is seen by the indigenous Adi community and other locals as an existential threat to their lands, culture, and very way of life. We delve into the heart of this escalating conflict, presenting the perspectives from both sides of the divide.

The Project: A Titan on the Siang

The Upper Siang Multipurpose Hydropower Project, under the aegis of the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC), envisions a colossal 300-meter-high dam on the Siang River. With a projected power generation capacity of 11,000 to 12,500 megawatts, it is set to be India’s largest hydropower venture.

Beyond electricity generation, the dam is strategically positioned to create a massive reservoir. This, the government argues, will regulate the flow of the Siang River—known as the Yarlung Tsangpo in Tibet before it enters India—acting as a countermeasure to potential hydro-hegemony from Chinese damming activities upstream. Officials also maintain that the dam will mitigate seasonal flooding and ensure a consistent water supply downstream, benefiting regions like Assam and even Bangladesh.

Timeline of Turmoil: A Growing Resistance

The seeds of the current conflict were sown in 2017 when the Indian government consolidated two smaller hydropower proposals (Siang Stage I and II) into this single, mammoth project. As the sheer scale of potential land acquisition, environmental degradation, and human displacement became apparent, local anxieties began to mount.

• 2023: Resistance starts to coalesce. The Adi tribe, along with other local communities, initiated awareness campaigns, community dialogues, and small-scale protests. A significant early act of defiance was the refusal by villagers to grant survey teams access to their lands.
• June 2024: NHPC officials and Arunachal Pradesh’s Deputy Chief Minister engaged in meetings to advance the project, but local opposition remained steadfast.
• July 2024: Tensions rise as two activists are detained ahead of a Union Minister’s scheduled visit, a move perceived by locals as an attempt to stifle dissent.
• August 2024: Villagers in Dite-Dime and Geku physically obstructed survey teams, demonstrating their resolve.
• October 2024: One of the most significant demonstrations to date saw approximately 8,000 villagers marching in Geku. Their message, conveyed through placards and chants, was unequivocal: they would not cede their ancestral lands.
• December 2024: The situation escalates dramatically. The state government deployed armed police and paramilitary forces to facilitate survey operations. This show of force ignited widespread outrage.
  • December 14-16: Mass peaceful protests erupted across Geku, Parong, and other villages. The demonstrations were marked by emotional scenes, with women openly weeping before police and elders performing traditional curses. An effigy of the Chief Minister was burned in a public display of anger.
• December 19, 2024: Amidst the turmoil, Chief Minister Pema Khandu visited Boleng, offering an assurance: “If you don’t want the dam, there won’t be one.”
• May 2025: Five months later, trust in the government’s assurances was shattered. Villagers awoke to find survey teams, escorted by a heavy security contingent, resuming their work. Survey equipment was transported under protection, and abandoned schools were repurposed as camps for the personnel.
  • May 23, 2025: Fresh protests flared. Women, abandoning their agricultural work, marched towards Beging village where drilling activities had recommenced. In a potent act of defiance and a clear signal of their determination, protesters burned a hanging bridge to prevent reinforcements from reaching the area. An ultimatum was issued: security forces had three days to withdraw.
• Late May 2025: The government announced that Pangkang (Kumku) village had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), granting survey permission in return for ₹5 crore in development funds. However, this claim was immediately contested by the village headman and a majority of residents, who alleged forgery and decried the MoU as a thinly veiled bribe. They asserted that the purported signatories lacked community authorization.

Voices from the Valley: “Our Land, Our Life, Our Identity”

The resistance from the local communities, predominantly the Adi people, is born from a profound sense of fear and impending loss. The proposed dam threatens to submerge over 40 villages, decimating farmlands, orchards, ancient forests, and sacred ancestral sites. For them, the Siang is not merely a river; it is a life-giving mother, central to their culture, spirituality, and identity.

“This is not just about land,” one elder was quoted as saying, “it is about our future, our children’s future. The river is our soul.”

There are also grave concerns about the dam’s safety. Many point to the Teesta dam disaster in Sikkim (October 2023), where a glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF) caused catastrophic damage downstream. Experts have repeatedly warned that the Upper Siang region, characterized by its seismic vulnerability and fragile geology, is ill-suited for a dam of such monumental proportions.

Furthermore, protesters allege a systematic disregard for their legal and democratic rights. They claim that Gram Sabhas (village councils) were either not consulted as mandated by law, or their consent was fraudulently obtained. In a particularly telling incident, a village headman was reportedly suspended for his opposition to the dam. Women and elders have been at the forefront of these protests, their resilience and determination becoming a symbol of the movement.

The Government’s Stand: Energy, Strategy, and Development

The Arunachal Pradesh administration and NHPC present a contrasting narrative, emphasizing the dam’s critical importance for regional and national interests. Officials highlight several key benefits:

• Clean Energy: Generation of over 12,000 MW of renewable energy.
• Strategic Imperative: Creation of a substantial reservoir to counter potential water flow manipulations by China upstream.
• Economic Boost: An estimated annual revenue of over ₹3,000 crore for the state.
• Local Development: Allocation of ₹282 crore for development initiatives in project-affected villages.

Chief Minister Pema Khandu has publicly stated that the dam will not proceed without local consent. However, the deployment of security forces in May 2025 and the controversial MoU with Pangkang village—viewed by many as a “divide-and-rule” tactic—have fueled skepticism regarding these assurances.

While a few local leaders have expressed a willingness to negotiate, the overwhelming sentiment in the Siang valley remains staunchly against the dam.

A Precarious Standoff: The Path Ahead

Currently, the Upper Siang project is mired in a tense standoff. Survey work, though sporadic, continues under the watchful eye of police and paramilitary forces. In response, villagers persist with their peaceful, yet resolute, protests. Their message is clear: this struggle transcends a single project; it is about the fundamental principles of decision-making, the sanctity of indigenous voices, and whether coercion can ever supersede genuine consent.

The plight of the Siang communities is gaining national and international attention. Videos depicting Adi women courageously confronting police, protest banners adorning the landscape, and heartfelt appeals from villagers are circulating widely across social media and news platforms. Solidarity is pouring in from environmentalists, civil rights organizations, and communities in Sikkim and Assam who have faced similar struggles.

The future of the Upper Siang Multipurpose Hydropower Project hangs precariously in the balance. What remains undeniable, however, is the unwavering spirit of the Siang Valley’s people. Their voices, rituals, songs, and tears are scripting a significant new chapter in India’s ongoing narrative of environmental and social resistance.

And at the very heart of it all stands a river sacred, fierce, and profoundly unyielding.