Reported by
Legal Review by
Edited by
Updated by
Published on
December 21, 2023
December 22, 2023
Edited on
December 21, 2023
Land Area Affected (in Hectares)
Starting Year
Geku
Upper Siang, Dibang, Siang, Subansiri, Lohit river basins
Siang, East Siang, Upper Siang, Dibang valley and West Siang
Hydroelectric Project
Environmental/ecological damage
Massive protests began in several parts of Arunachal Pradesh, especially in Siang and Dibang valley, soon after the signing of memorandums of agreement (MoA) between the state government and hydropower PSUs for 12 stalled hydropower projects in the state.
The 12 stalled hydropower projects have a cumulative installed capacity of about 11,523 MW. According to a press release, out of these 12 projects, five projects of 2,620 MW have been allocated by the state Government to North Eastern Electric Power Corporation Ltd. (NEEPCO), five projects of 5,097 MW to Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam Ltd. (SJVN) and the remaining two projects of capacity 3,800 MW to National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC).
While the Tato-II HEP (700 MW), the Tato-I HEP (186 MW), the Heo HEP (240 MW), the Naying HEP (1,000 MW) and the Hirong HEP (500 MW) have been allotted to the NEEPCO, the Etalin HEP (3,097 MW), the Attunli HEP (680 MW), the Emini HEP (500 MW), the Amulin HEP (420 MW) and the Mihumdon HEP (400 MW) have been given to the SJVN. The Subansiri Upper HEP (2,000 MW) and the Subansiri Middle (Kamala) HEP (1,800 MW) have been allotted to the NHPC.
These projects were earlier entrusted upon private sector developers about 15 years ago, but they remained non-starters due to myriad of reasons. The state government, therefore, decided to rope in central hydro PSUs to give a push to the languishing projects.
Arunachal Pradesh’s Power Commissioner, Ankur Garg, signed the agreements with the heads of the three CPSUs on behalf of the state government in Itanagar in the presence of Power and New and Renewable Energy Minister, R K Singh, State Chief Minister Pema Khandu, and his Deputy CM Chowna Mein.
Water resources experts said that the 12 power projects in Arunachal Pradesh that were officially handed over to three Central public sector undertakings (CPSUs) on August 12 are economically unviable. In 2022, Environment researcher Chintan Sheth said that in Northeast India, infrastructural development can lead to large-scale loss of natural ecosystems including secondary forests and bamboo growth, which in turn can lead to loss of carbon sequestration areas.
There is a constant fear among the indigenous communities, both in Assam and Arunachal Pradesh, that mega projects like these would wreck havoc and submerge the downstream areas. One of the protesters said, "We will shed our blood to protect our land if the government pursues with their plans. We are not giving up on our land. We are more disappointed with the Arunachal Government's forceful power project approvals since 2013. This is gross injustice. No consultation, No PFR, No survey, No dam!"
A senior community member, from the Mebo sub-division, was quoted as saying, "We had a public meeting for the dams and Forest Conservation Act with all the village heads, public leaders, senior citizens and Panchayati Raj Institution members. We have also held a resolution in the meeting that recently, in the Parliament, the Forest Conservation Act was passed, and we stand against such amendments because its completely against our tribes and tribal lands. We demand the Government to take it back. We totally oppose the government's plan to construct mega dam of 10,000 MW on Siang. The government intends to retain China's mega power project dam of 60,000 MW with these dams. It really makes no sense and appears impossible. We are the landowners. Is it not important to get our consent prior to such decisions? Before pursuing such ambitious projects, the governments should look back in the history and see the series of disasters that brought chaos to the land and human lives"
In 2022, an activist and an artist were detained by the police for their artistic protests and for depicting their voices through the form of art. Yet again, on August 18, 2023, advocates Ebo Mili and Mejo Mihu from Lower Dibang Valley and Dibang Valley were detained by the Itanagar police for staging a peaceful protest outside the banquet hall in Itanagar against signing MoAs of 12 hydropower projects in the state.
On 14 September 2023, more than 7,000 people gather at Geku Village, Upper Siang to take oath against the proposed 10,000 MW Siang Dam. Adi Miri, the Priest, Shaman initiated the oath during the anti-dam meeting at Geku, Upper Siang.
An Assam-based hydrologist, who did not want to be named, said these projects should not have been taken up in the first place. “Apart from being unviable, these guarantee disaster for Arunachal Pradesh and downstream regions in Assam,” he said.
Demand to cancel the project
Demand to retain/protect access to common land/resources
Refusal to give up land for the project
Complaint against procedural violations
Opposition against environmental degradation
Rural
Common
Forest and Non-Forest
What was the action taken by the police?
Detention
How many people did the police detain or arrest?
3
What is the current status of the detained/accused persons?
Released from detention
Did the person face any violence while in police custody?
No
Did the person face any violence while in police custody?
No
If any arrests took place, were the accused persons produced before a judge within 24 hours of the arrest?
If the accused was not produced before a magistrate within 24 hours, or not produced at all, what were the reasons?
Legislation under which the accused was charged
The Code Of Criminal Procedure, 1973
Section 107
Was the accused person informed of their right to legal representation? Did the accused person have access to legal aid?
Yes they were informed, Yes they had access
In cases where the accused person approached the court for bail, was bail granted?
Yes
Why was bail granted or rejected? If granted, what were the bail conditions and quantum of bail?
Were there any other notable irregularities that took place, or other significant details?
Details of sources (names of accused, names and numbers of any lawyers, names of any police officers contacted)
Status of Project
Project stalled due to protests
Original Project Deadline
Whether the Project has been Delayed
Significance of Land to Land Owners/Users
Other Natural Resource extraction/dependence, Other environmental services, Water bodies, Religious/Sacred/Cultural value
Whether the project was stalled due to land conflict
Yes
Source/Reference
Total investment involved (in Crores):
₹
126000
Type of investment:
Investment Expected
Year of Estimation
Page Number In Investment Document:
Has the Conflict Ended?
No
When did it end?
Why did the conflict end?
Categories of Legislations Involved in the Conflict
Legislations/Policies Involved
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Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Whether claims/objections were made as per procedure in the relevant statute
No
What was the claim(s)/objection(s) raised by the community?
What was the Decision of the Concerned Government Department?
Legal Processes and Loopholes Enabling the Conflict:
Non-consultation with stakeholders
Legal Status:
Out of Court
Status of Case In Court
Whether any adjudicatory body was approached
No
Name of the adjudicatory body
Name(s) of the Court(s)
Case Number
Main Reasoning/Decision of court
Major Human Rights Violations Related to the Conflict:
Arrest/detention/imprisonment
Judicial harassment
Other harassment
Whether criminal law was used against protestors:
Yes
Reported Details of the Violation:
In March 2022, police in Arunachal Pradesh detained lawyer Ebo Mili and Assam-based artist Nilim Mahanta for their role in defacing government property. The two had been arrested for painting the words “No more dams” and a protest fist on the boundary wall of the state civil secretariat in the capital, Itanagar. In August 2023, anti-dam activist and advocate Ebo Mili, along with one Mejo Mihu were detained by the capital police for staging a peaceful protest outside the banquet hall in Itanagar. They were interrogated for hours and were reportedly forced by the police to sign a bond and they were later taken to the ICR deputy commissioner’s office. Mili’s colleague reported that they made them stand for hours at the police station and unnecessarily harassed them.
Date of Violation
August 11, 2023
Location of Violation
Itanagar
Nature of Protest
Protests/marches
Media-based activism/alternative media
Artistic and creative actions (theatre, murals, art, music etc)
Public campaign
Government Departments Involved in the Conflict:
National Thermal Power Corporation, Ministry of Power, Government of India
PSUs Involved in the Conflict:
North Eastern Electric Power Corporation Ltd (NEEPCO), Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam (SJVN), National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC), HYDRO POWER DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION OF ARUNACHAL PRADESH LIMITED, Office of the Chairman cum Managing Director
Did LCW Approach Government Authorities for Comments?
Name, Designation and Comment of the Government Authorities Approached
Corporate Parties Involved in the Conflict:
Did LCW Approach Corporate Parties for Comments?
Communities/Local Organisations in the Conflict:
Acheso Atih Welfare Society (AAWA), All Adi welfare society (AAWS), Siang Indigenous Farmer's Forum (SIFF)
What was the action taken by the police?
Detention
How many people did the police detain or arrest?
3
What is the current status of the detained/accused persons?
Released from detention
Did the person face any violence while in police custody?
No
If any arrests took place, were the accused persons produced before a judge within 24 hours of the arrest?
If the accused was not produced before a magistrate within 24 hours, or not produced at all, what were the reasons?
Legislation under which the accused was charged
The Code Of Criminal Procedure, 1973
Section 107
Was the accused person informed of their right to legal representation? Did the accused person have access to legal aid?
Yes they were informed, Yes they had access
In cases where the accused person approached the court for bail, was bail granted?
Yes
Why was bail granted or rejected? If granted, what were the bail conditions and quantum of bail?
Were there any other notable irregularities that took place, or other significant details?
Signing of MoS by Govt of Arunachal Pradesha and CPSUs
Image Credit:
Press Information Bureau
Anti-dam activist Ebo Mili prevented from staging peaceful protest; forced to sign bond - Newspaper clipping
Image Credit:
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