ITANAGAR, Oct 2: Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu has condemned the violence during protests against the proposed Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP) in Upper Siang district, saying attacks on houses, vehicles and security personnel could not be considered part of a protest.
Khandu said the government had gone to the region to hear local concerns and clarify that the ongoing exercise was only a Pre-Feasibility Report (PFR), intended to assess the project’s technical feasibility before any further decision. “It’s not a protest — attacking houses, burning cars, attack on paramilitary forces, it’s a crime and the law will take its own action,” he said.
His remarks came after protests turned violent in Yingkiong on September 30 during his two-day visit to Siang and Upper Siang districts. Protesters opposing the PFR process blocked roads, clashed with security personnel and damaged government vehicles, while the residence of Tuting-Yingkiong MLA Alo Libang was allegedly vandalised.
The unrest disrupted the movement of Khandu and other ministers. The protests followed clashes in Geku on September 28, with opposition continuing in Geku, Komkar, Yingkiong and adjoining areas.
The proposed SUMP, with an installed capacity of around 11,000 MW, has faced opposition from sections of indigenous communities over concerns about possible displacement, environmental impacts, traditional land and livelihoods. Protesters have demanded that PFR and survey-related activities be stopped and security personnel withdrawn.
The state government has maintained that the PFR does not amount to final approval for construction. Khandu said the study would determine the project’s technical feasibility and that further processes would depend on its findings.
The Siang originates in Tibet, where it is known as the Yarlung Tsangpo, enters Arunachal Pradesh and later flows into Assam as the Brahmaputra.
