Over 100 civil society organizations and environmental groups have appealed to President Droupadi Murmu to withdraw the paramilitary forces deployed in Arunachal Pradesh for the pre-feasibility survey of the Upper Siang Hydropower Project. The 11,000-megawatt project, located in the Upper Siang district along the Siang River, is part of India’s strategy to counter China’s hydropower developments on the Yarlung Zangbo (Brahmaputra) River.

Local indigenous groups, especially from the Adi tribe, have raised concerns about displacement and environmental harm, leading to protests. The deployment of Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) personnel to assist the survey has intensified tensions in the area.

Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu has assured that the project will not proceed without the consent of the local people. However, 109 organizations have written to the President, urging the withdrawal of the paramilitary forces. They stress that India, as a signatory to international conventions, must respect the rights of indigenous communities to approve or reject projects that impact their land and livelihoods.

The Siang Valley, within the ecologically sensitive Dihang-Dibang Biosphere Reserve, is known for its rich biodiversity. The organizations have also expressed concerns about the growing environmental risks posed by large hydropower projects, citing disasters such as the 2021 Chamoli avalanche and the 2023 Teesta III dam collapse. They have called for a reassessment of India’s hydropower plans in the region, highlighting declining river discharge and financial losses from delayed projects like the Subansiri Lower Hydropower Project.