Anti-mega dam protest rocks Arunachal capital

More than 30 people were detained after a violent protest in the State’s Siang region on October 23 and 24 against the proposed 11,200-megawatt Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP) on the Siang River. File | Photo Credit: Reuters Members of several youth and social organisations carried out a solidarity rally in Arunachal Pradesh’s capital, Itanagar, on Thursday (October 29, 2026), demanding the release of people detained for opposing the push for a mega dam as a counter to China’s massive hydropower project on the Yarlung Tsangpo.Also read | Violence marks shutdown against another proposed dam in Arunachal PradeshMore than 30 people were detained after a violent protest in the State’s Siang region on October 23 and 24 against the proposed 11,200-megawatt Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP) on the Siang River. Locals say the project would spell disaster for the land and its people, but the government claims it would minimise the impact of a 60,000-MW project China is building across the border.The Yarlung Tsangpo flows into Arunachal Pradesh as the Siang, which meets the Dibang and Lohit to form the Brahmaputra in Assam.The protestors, who converged at Itanagar’s Indira Gandhi Park, demanded protection of land, rivers, indigenous identity, and the locals’ rights. They said they were not against dams, but they could not allow the government to bulldoze its way to build massive structures that threaten the people’s existence.“We, the victims of the proposed SUMP, are fighting for the protection of our land, fundamental rights, culture and existence. We are peace-loving Indians, but the government is treating us like second-class citizens,” a leader of one of the local groups said.The protestors asked the government to drop the SUMP plan and withdraw security personnel from the Siang region. “The government is trying to conduct the pre-feasibility survey for the SUMP by militarising the area,” a protestor said.A week ago, mobs opposing the proposed SUMP set fire to an office of the NHPC, which has been entrusted with preparing the pre-feasibility report for the project, and vandalised the houses of three politicians, including two MLAs. At least four women were injured in clashes with the police.The anti-SUMP agitation spread to the Upper Subansiri district, bordering China, where the NHPC is pursuing the proposed 1,605-MW Subansiri Upper Hydroelectric Project, also called the Menga Dam. Violence was reported from several areas, including Upper Subansiri district headquarters Daporijo, during a 12-hour shutdown against the project on Monday (October 26, 2026).Meanwhile, the Arunachal Christian Forum (ACF) expressed deep concern over the tensions surrounding the SUMP, appealing to Chief Minister Pema Khandu to take timely, constructive steps to maintain peace and promote dialogue among the parties concerned.“We appeal to the government to initiate a process of meaningful and constructive dialogue with the Siang Indigenous Farmers Forum along with other concerned stakeholders to address apprehensions, reduce misunderstandings and prevent further escalation of tensions,” the forum said in a statement addressed to the Chief Minister.The ACF and the Arunachal Indigenous Tribes Forum offered to facilitate dialogue between the State government and local groups opposing the proposed SUMP. The latter announced a high-level committee to assess the situation on the ground and explore ways to restore peace. Published - October 29, 2026 09:55 pm IST