ES Reporter 

ITANAGAR, Apr 27: “The Adi community of Siang district will never accept the proposal for 10,000 MW dam over the Siang River," said the Siang Indigenous Farmer’s Forum (SIFF) representative Bhanu Tatak, while addressing a press conference at the press club here on Thursday.
She informed that an article was published in the Financial Express on 22 April 2023, mentioning that the Power Minister, GoI, RK Singh and Chief Minister Pema Khandu were scheduled to meet during the last week of April for the signing of 13 MoUs for 13 GW hydropower projects in Arunachal Pradesh.
“We strongly condemn signing of MoUs of such projects to be implemented in Arunachal Pradesh. Moreover, the Adi community has been strongly opposing the proposal of 10,000 MW dam over the Siang River for over a decade now," she said while stressing that the mega dam over the Siang  will submerge almost all areas and villages of Adi community such as Yingkiong, Geku and many more till Tuting.
“Why is the state government still pursuing non-renewable projects like mega hydropower projects when the present government is promoting renewable projects like solar and wind energy,"  Tatak questioned the state government while informing that mega dams are considered as non-renewable under international laws.
She appealed to the state and central government to be in diplomatic position in order to secure the future of the Adi community living in the area by rejecting and canceling the MoUs signed between the central and state government on such mega projects.
"National Hydro Power Corporation (NHPC) is forcefully conducting survey activities during the night in spite of the strong and stiff opposition from the dam affected farmers and SIFF since inception," she informed while claiming that SIFF members are being harassed by the district administration (DA) and has threatened to use Army and Paramilitary forces against any human obstacle.
Further, she informed that SIFF has submitted its report to the Chief Secretary and it will be submitting the same to the Governor and the Minister of Power, Government of India in coming days.
SIFF has submitted the memorandum with the hope that the UN would take up the issue with the Government of India, she added, informing that Dr. Pichamon Yeophantong has assured to talk with the authority regarding the issue.
Highlighting the efforts made by SIFF, Tatak informed that on 17/10/2017, the forum had written a letter to the Chairman, Managing Director of NEEPCO Ltd. opposing 10,000 MW dam project. On 02/12/2017, SIFF wrote a ...Page 2 
....Adi community will never accept mega dam
letter to the Chief Minister for the cancellation for the MOUs signed and enclosed a letter written by the then CM Nabam Tuki to Uma Bharati, the then Minister of Water Resources River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation.
On 20/06/2022, a letter was submitted along with minutes of the meeting to Gajendra Shekawat, the then Union Minister, stressing that in 2014 the SIFF had filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) at the Guwahati High Court (HC), Itanagar Permanent Bench.
The case was disposed favouring the petitioners and instructed the state government that in the coming future consent and consultation must be sought from the affected locals for any such dam projects, however the authorities are not following the HC order, she added.

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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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