By Staff Reporter
ITANAGAR, Apr 27: The Siang Indigenous Farmer’s Forum (SIFF) on Thursday opposed proposed construction of a 10,000 mega watt dam over the Siang river.
The forum said that by next week the state government is likely to sign multiple projects with capacity of over 13 giga watt, at an investment of more than 1.5 trillion.
Addressing media persons at APC here, SIFF representative Bhanu Tatak informed that, union Power minister R K Singh is likely to visit Itanagar to initiate signing of 13 memorandums of understanding (MoUs) for 13 GW hydropower projects, where the 10,000 megawatt over Siang River is also included.
Reacting to media reports, she informed that against the 10,000 mw Siang River project, last year a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) was filed at Itanagar bench of Gauhati High Court which was disposed off in the favor of the petitioner.
“The court last year took its decision as the advocate general of the state submitted a report to the court that 50 numbers of hydro projects in Siang basin have been abandoned by the state government for the larger interest of settlers of the area,” she added.
Informing that the court had also directed the state government to take the consultation of the affected people for any kind of dam in the future, SIFF said Siang River is the life line of the people living in the Siang valley and the people would not allow any power developer to destroy the rich cultural heritage of the Siang belt.
SIFF alleged that project was allotted to the National Hydro Power Corporation (NHPC) and in connivance with the district administration; the power developer is carrying out forceful survey despite stiff opposition from the affected people.
Cautioning that forceful implementation of the project might invite law & order problem in the future, SIFF added that commissioning of the project against the will of the affected people is a violation of Schedule Tribes and other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act 2006, wherein the tribal people are given rights to use of forest, forest products and other resources.
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