3 Things Arunachal's mega-dam project, why the rupee falls, and 9 killed in Bijapur
Jan 7, 2025
Sukrita Baruah, a reporter with The Indian Express specializing in Arunachal Pradesh, discusses the contentious mega-dam project on the Siang River, examining local resistance grounded in fears of land loss and governmental distrust. She also highlights the strategic implications of the project amid Chinese developments. Additionally, the conversation shifts to the Indian rupee's decline, addressing inflation and trade challenges, before touching on the tragic Maoist attack in Chhattisgarh, which left eight security personnel dead.
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India's Mega-Dam Project
- India plans to build its largest hydropower dam in Arunachal Pradesh, the Siang Upper Multipurpose Project.
- This project merges two existing dam projects and aims to counteract China's dam on the Brahmaputra River.
Strategic Importance of the Dam
- The Indian government claims the dam's main purpose is strategic, not power generation.
- It aims to counter the potential threat of China's dam upstream, referred to as a "water bomb."
Local Skepticism
- Locals are skeptical about the government's claims regarding the dam.
- Many don't believe the Siang River will dry up or the threat of a "water bomb."