11,000 MW Upper Siang project must to counter China’s 60,000 MW dam and save Siang: Arunachal CM Khandu

Khandu said that the Centre and the State government has proposed to construct the large barrage on Siang river to keep it alive in view of the potential threats from

Amid stiff opposition from several quarters including locals and farmers body and human rights body of Arunachal Pradesh regarding the 11,000 megawatt (MW) Upper Siang multipurpose storage project on the Siang river, Chief Minister Pema Khandu said that the project is required to save the Siang river given that China is building a 60,000 megawatt dam on the river in Tibet which might dry up the river and pose a big threat to the people of the state.

“The State Government and the Central Government are concerned about the Siang River because it has been associated with the people for a very long time and it is also an emotional asset for us. After China builds the (60,000 MW) dam, it may cause the Siang river to dry up. To counter this, the Centre has proposed constructing a large mega structure to ensure the river’s flow is maintained, a project that will require substantial resources and careful planning. China’s actions, especially during the recent corona virus pandemic, have been unpredictable. If China releases water from its dams, it could cause massive flooding in the Siang belt, from Assam till Bangladesh. So power is just a by product, we do not see the Siang project from power generation point of view, but the project is mainly for protection of the Siang River,” CM Khandu told Northeast Live.

Siang Indigenous Farmers Forum, Dibang Resistance, and North East Human Rights

The Centre and the State government has proposed to construct the large barrage on Siang river to keep it alive in view of the potential threats from the huge dam on Yarlung Tsangpo river, which is the upstream of Siang, being built by China in neighbouring Tibet region, the CM said trying to clarifying the concerns raised by the Siang Indigenous Farmers Forum, Dibang Resistance, and North East Human Rights regarding the multipurpose storage project.

Meanwhile, CM Khandu acknowledging the impact of severe weather conditions across several regions in the state assured that the government is actively managing the situation. He said that relief camps have been established to provide support to the affected populations and the government is leveraging advanced technology, including notifications from the Indian Meteorological Department, to effectively manage and mitigate the impact of the weather conditions.

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