Arunachal Pradesh's Upper Siang Hydropower Project Controversy

The Upper Siang Project proposes an 11,000 megawatt hydropower facility on the Siang River in Arunachal Pradesh, aiming to counteract China's ambitious dam projects in Tibet. While officials emphasize its strategic importance for national security, local tribes, particularly the Adi, oppose the project, fearing that it will submerge over 300 villages and disrupt their way of life. Activists have voiced concerns about ecological impacts, emphasizing that the region is a biodiversity hotspot. Tensions escalated when two prominent activists aiming to meet officials were detained just before a visit from the Union Power Minister, reflecting the government's prioritization of the project despite local resistance.