Correspondent

PASIGHAT, 17 Sep: Newly constituted Adi Bane Kebang-United (ABK-U) is opposing the implementation of the proposed 11,000-11,200 mwSiang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP), saying that the majority of the villagers of Upper Siang and Siang districts are not in support of the proposed mega project.

Expressing serious concern over the alleged forcible conduct of pre-feasibility survey by the National Hydropower Power Corporation (NHPC) and deployment of paramilitary forces at Komkar, ABK-U president Thomas Borang urged Chief Minister Pema Khandu to stop drilling and other machinery activities at the proposed project site.

Talking to the media in Geku on Wednesday, Borang alleged that "state government functionaries and local MLAs are influencing innocent villagers to sign NOCs regarding pre-feasibility surveys in Geku, Komkar, Karko and Simong villages, but the local villagers are sternly opposing the move in their areas."

"The state government authority is collecting signatures (NOC) from innocent villagers, who are unaware of the impact of the mega dam project. The political leaders are engaged in collecting the signatures (NOC) through an unfair way, which is causing a great deal of irritation among majority villagers of the area," he alleged.

The ABK-U held a consultative meeting with the aggrieved villagers in Geku in Upper Siang district on Wednesday, hearing their grievances pertaining to the proposed mega hydropower project.

Save Arunachal Youth Association president Geni Nangkar, who addressed the meeting, informed the organisers that "the political leaders of the area are accustomed to collect signatures (NOC) from innocent villagers, who are not stakeholders and even unaware of the project's effects."

Nangkar alleged that state government functionaries are also misleading the people by showing an increased number of signatories, but in fact majority of the villagers are not supporting the proposed mega dam project.

On 14 September, the state government deployed a huge contingent of paramilitary forces at Ugeng village in Upper Siang, but the security forces faced protest from the villages of the project-affected area. The local villagers are rigid on their stand that they are opposing any mega dam project which would destroy their fertile land and other resources.

Meanwhile, Upper Siang District Magistrate Talo Jerang has invoked Section 163 of BNSS at the Komkar Lingkok PRF site, claiming apprehension of serious law-and-order problems caused by public protests.

On the other hand, the chief minister appealed to the protesting villagers to come forward for negotiation with the government and clear their fear or doubt over the power project, which he termed a national project necessary to counter China on water issues.