Objection against the proposed Siang upper multipurpose project (SUMP) in Arunachal Pradesh is mounting amid the recent state government’s move to deploy Central paramilitary force and state police in three Siang districts to check hurdles against the pre-feasibility survey for the project.

The local residents, organisations and activists on Sunday staged a protest rally between Riew and Parong village.

They also submitted a memorandum to the MHA and the state government, demanding, among others, a referendum among the population to be affected to know what they want.

The protests, organised by the Siang Indigenous Farmers Forum (SIFF), activists and organisations, started from 8 am and continued till 4pm where participants were heard raising slogans against the state government and carrying placards that said “No Dam, No Survey”.

The state home department had a few days ago written to the deputy commissioners of Upper Siang, East Siang and Siang to arrange accommodation and related facilities for the deployment of the security forces by Sunday..

In the memorandum emailed to the ministry of home affairs, Arunachal Pradesh chief minister, home minister, chief secretary and the home secretary on Sunday, the villagers of Siang, East Siang, and Upper Siang districts have strongly opposed the proposed SUMP.

They also objected the conducion of pre feasibility survey and deployment of central Armed Police forces in the Siang region “under the guise of National Security”, environmental activist Ebo Mili, who participated in the “peaceful” protest, told The Telegraph.

Mili said the chief minister before the Assembly elections had said that no decision on the dam would be taken without the consent of the local populace.

The proposed dam is being set up National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) with the chief minister Pema Khandu asserting in November that the project would, among others, help check the threat posed by the 60,000-MW dam being built on the upper reaches of Siang river in China.

The state government has shortlisted three sites — Parong, Ugeng and Dite Dime – along the Siang, which is known as Yarlung Tsangpo in China.

Tension started brewing after letter written by Siang District Deputy Commissioner P.N. Thungon on December 6 to the circle officer of Rebo-Perging about the deployment of a paramilitary team at Riew village for the smooth conduct of the pre-feasibility study became public, sparking off concern among locals and activists over displacement and a threat to the area’s fragile ecology.

The North-East Human Rights (NEHR) and the Arunachal Democratic Party and SIFF have expressed their objection.

Sunday’s memorandum has challenged the claims made by the pro-dam lobby that the majority of Siang project- affected people support the dam.