China looming, Arunachal hydel project under fresh protest shadow, Pg7

Key Highlights:

• Protests continue against the proposed 11,200-MW Siang Upper Multipurpose Project in Arunachal Pradesh, nearly a month after security deployment for pre-feasibility surveys.
• Four protesters were detained under the Arunachal Pradesh Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 2014, leading to fresh demonstrations by the Siang Indigenous Farmers’ Forum (SIFF).
• The indigenous Adi community fears displacement, loss of livelihoods, and ancestral land due to the project.
• Union Minister Kiren Rijiju called for dialogue with the Adi community, acknowledging the long-standing impasse.
• The project is strategically significant for India due to China's upstream hydropower development on the Yarlung Tsangpo (Siang) river.

Detailed Insights:

• The Siang Upper Multipurpose Project is located in the Ugeng-Komkar area of the Siang valley, a critical region for India's water security.
• Protests escalated with an attack on a local MLA's residence and a police vehicle torched in late September, followed by fresh clashes on October 8.
• Political stances on the project have shifted, with former anti-dam activist Ojing Tasing now supporting it due to strategic concerns regarding China.
• India's push for the project is partly a response to China's 60,000-MW lower Yarlung Tsangpo hydropower project, approved in December 2024.
• The NITI Aayog in 2017 proposed replacing earlier Siang projects with a single large storage project, which evolved into the current 11,200-MW proposal.
• Concerns exist regarding the lack of "first user right" in international jurisprudence, with experts suggesting joint impact assessments with China.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Transboundary Rivers: Rivers that flow through or form a border between two or more countries, like the Siang/Yarlung Tsangpo.
• Hydropower Project: A facility that generates electricity by harnessing the energy of flowing water, often involving dams and reservoirs.
• Downstream Riparian Rights: The rights of countries located further along a river to receive a fair share of its water and be protected from upstream activities.
• Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act: Legislation aimed at preventing unlawful activities, often used to address threats to national security or public order.