Boleng, Oct 4: As the stalemate over the proposed 11,000-MW Siang Upper Multipurpose Project continues, Arunachal Pradesh minister Ojing Tasing on Sunday said the state cannot compromise on issues concerning national security.
Tasing, who represents the Pangin assembly constituency in Siang district, said more than 80 per cent of people living in villages which could be affected by the project's execution were supporting the initiative.
Besides power generation, the minister said, the project was important from the perspective of border security and flood moderation, particularly in view of upstream infrastructure being developed by China.
"National security is a central subject, and the state government has no say in such matters. The state cannot compromise on issues concerning national security," he said.
He appealed to the people not to disrupt government-backed development initiatives and stressed that peace and maintenance of law and order were essential for development.
The Siang belt of Arunachal Pradesh, largely inhabited by the indigenous Adi community, has witnessed protests over the proposed 11,000-MW project, which is planned to be executed by the NHPC Limited.
Several indigenous groups have strongly opposed the project, citing concerns over its potential impact on the region.
Protest groups, including the Siang Indigenous Farmers' Forum (SIFF), have raised concerns over possible ecological disruption, seismic risks and displacement of more than 25 village settlements and agricultural land in the Siang valley.
Siang Deputy Commissioner Tayi Taggu urged people to cooperate with the government in development activities and sought to dispel apprehensions over the possible impact of the proposed project in the district.
The DC said the project was expected to have minimal physical impact on village settlements in Siang district, though several villages, including Geku and Yingkiong in Upper Siang district, could be affected.
Taggu said structures likely to be affected in places such as Parong and Sitang accounted for around 10 to 15 per cent, and most of them were commercial establishments or temporary business structures rather than ancestral residential houses.
The deputy commissioner also hinted at a political angle to the recent turmoil in Upper Siang, saying that the anti-project opposition did not represent the broader democratic majority.
More than 90 per cent of people in villages such as Parong, Riga, Riew, Pangkang (Kumku), Jorkong and Sitang were in favour of the project, with MoUs already signed for pre-feasibility activities, he said.
Taggu said claims of widespread public support against the project did not reflect the situation on the ground.
On September 29, Chief Minister Pema Khandu, during an interaction with government officials at Boleng in Siang district, had said the proposed project would not be taken forward if experts found it technically unviable after completion of the Preliminary Feasibility Report. (PTI)