| Staff REPORTER |
ITANAGAR, Sep 28: The Siang Indigenous Farmers’ Forum (SIFF) has opposed Chief Minister Pema Khandu’s proposed visit to Siang and Upper Siang districts in connection with discussions on the 11,000-MW Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP).
The Chief Minister is scheduled to visit Boleng in Siang district on September 29 and Yingkiong in Upper Siang on September 30 to interact with local residents on the proposed project.
Addressing reporters at the Arunachal Press Club here on Monday, SIFF spokesperson Tagori Mize reiterated the Forum’s opposition to the Pre-Feasibility Report (PFR) activities related to SUMP, stating that indigenous communities in Siang and Upper Siang have been raising objections to the process.
Mize questioned the deployment of paramilitary personnel in the area, saying that the presence of security forces had created apprehension among local farmers. He alleged that the government was seeking to engage with people amid heavy security deployment.
The SIFF spokesperson also alleged that an individual was harassed by police in the name of investigation at Chimpu Police Station and asserted that the rights of indigenous tribal communities should be protected.
Mize claimed that the PFR process had already been completed and that only port drilling at the project site remained.
He said SIFF had been awaiting a response from the state government, but the deployment of security personnel had heightened concerns among farmers.
The Forum further alleged that farmers were being restricted from accessing their agricultural and horticultural fields and cautioned that the government would be responsible for any untoward incident arising from interactions between farmers and security personnel.
The SIFF reiterated its opposition to the ongoing PFR-related activities and called for the concerns of affected indigenous communities to be addressed.