Staff Reporter

ITANAGAR, 3 Oct: After a massive show of opposition to the pre-feasibility report study of the Siang Upper Multipurpose Project during Chief Minister Pema Khandu's recent visit to the Upper Siang and Siang districts, the government has written to the Siang Indigenous Farmer's Forum (SIFF), inviting them to a meeting in Pasighat.

The Forum is one of the organisations opposed to the SUMP.

The Chief Minister has invited 15 delegates of the Siang Indigenous Farmer's Forum "for important discussions on vital issues in the presence of MP and legislators of the Adi community." The meeting is to be held at Pasighat in East Siang on 5 October in the afternoon, according to the letter.

During his recent visit to the two districts, the Chief Minister did not meet the citizens, though he did meet some government officers from the two districts and interacted with some students.

The Pasighat meeting assumes significance as the government prepares to go ahead with the pre-feasibility report of the SUMP by the end of the year. In preparation for the study, the government has deployed armed police forces in the area. More forces are reported to have been deployed, though this has not been confirmed by the state government. Villagers, however, said that on Saturday there was a heavy presence of forces in Geku village in Upper Siang, where villagers continue to oppose the study as well as militarisation.

Meanwhile, the government has withheld at least two Facebook accounts that are critical of the government's plan to go ahead with the SUMP PFR. One of the accounts belongs to activist Ebo Mili, a vocal critic of the government's activities. Targeted and arrested before for his anti-government stance on the issue, including detention and denial of permission to travel abroad, Mili remains critical of the government.

In a statement to this daily, Mili confirmed that his social media account has been restricted in India.

"The authorities are well aware that social media is today one of the most powerful tools for reaching the public. I have been using it solely to raise awareness about the proposed Siang Upper Multipurpose Project. This restriction appears deliberate. The government seems determined to push ahead with the Pre-Feasibility Report (PFR) by any means necessary."

"Should I be arrested in the future, I will not be surprised," he added.