Staff Reporter

ITANAGAR, Oct 28: The Arunachal Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) frontal wing – AP Adivasi Congress has demanded a white paper on funds collected from hydropower developers and scrap Memorandums of Agreement (MOAs) signed without public consultation, amid growing opposition to the proposed Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP).
Addressing a press briefing, APCC -APAC Chairman Tame Pangu alleged that the state’s hydropower policy had raised serious concerns over transparency, alleged corruption and the rights of indigenous communities. He said the ongoing protests in the Siang Valley should be viewed in the broader context of hydropower development across Arunachal Pradesh.
According to Pangu, government records cited by the Congress show that 153 hydropower-related MoUs and MoAs have been signed across the state’s eight river basins. He listed 11 projects in the Tawang basin, 42 in the Kameng basin, 17 in the Dikrong basin, 18 in the Subansiri basin, 35 in the Siang basin, 14 in the Dibang basin, 13 in the Lohit basin and three in the Tirap basin.
Pangu alleged that more than ₹1,500 crore had been collected as upfront payments from hydropower companies, raising questions about the utilisation and transparency of the funds. He said the Congress had compiled records, including information obtained through RTI responses, and called for the government to make the relevant financial details available in the public domain.
He also referred to the upfront premium provisions under the Arunachal Pradesh Hydropower Policy, 2008, alleging that agreements had been awarded to private developers across several river basins without adequate public awareness or consultation.
The Congress leader further alleged that political and commercial interests were influencing the push for mega hydropower projects, including SUMP. He claimed that the present situation in the Siang Valley reflected a wider concern over the future of hydropower development in the state.
Emphasising the rights of indigenous communities, Pangu said decisions concerning rivers, forests and ancestral land must involve the affected people. He alleged that inadequate consultation with village communities, student organisations and other stakeholders had contributed to public resentment, particularly over the proposed Siang project and the deployment of security personnel in affected areas.
The APCC-APAC maintained that it was not opposed to development or hydropower projects in principle, but favoured projects that were appropriate to the state’s needs and did not cause large-scale social and environmental disruption. The party reiterated its preference for smaller hydropower projects over mega dams that could adversely affect local communities.
Further, APCC-APAC has  placed three major demands before the state government:  scrapping MoAs signed without public consultation and review the agreements through a transparent process; Publish a white paper on all upfront payments collected from hydropower developers, detailing the amounts received and their utilization; Initiate fresh consultations with affected families, community-based organisations (CBOs), student unions and other stakeholders before proceeding with hydropower projects.
Pangu said the government should restart the process through meaningful public consultations and ensure that future projects reflect the actual needs and priorities of Arunachal Pradesh.

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Kenter Joya Riba

(Managing Editor)
      She is a graduate in Science with post graduation in Sociology from University of Pune. She has been in the media industry for nearly a decade. Before turning to print business, she has been associated with radio and television.
Email: kenterjoyaz@easternsentinel.in / editoreasternsentinel@gmail.com
Phone: 0360-2212313

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