Arunachal: Anti-dam bandh in Daporijo turns violent, two hurt

A 12-hour bandh against a proposed hydropower project in Arunachal Pradesh's Upper Subansiri district turned violent on Monday, October 26, as protests against big dams spread from the Siang basin to the Subansiri valley.

Mobs in Daporijo town damaged NHPC equipment, a company vehicle and two police vehicles, and two security personnel were injured, according to The Times of India.

Two personnel injured

Upper Subansiri Superintendent of Police Pawan Kumar Yadav said constable-driver Hibu Lasha and a CRPF jawan were hurt and taken to Ziro for treatment. Police held a flag march in Daporijo and appealed for peace.

The bandh, which began at 5 am, was called by the All Tagin Students' Union (ATSU) and other groups against the proposed Menga dam, part of the 1,605 MW Subansiri Upper Hydroelectric Project. It was also a protest against an alleged attempt to detain ATSU president Tadak Pakba. Student unions and community groups from the Subansiri basin backed it, citing fears for their land and livelihoods.

After Pasighat

The Daporijo bandh followed unrest in Pasighat, where protesters laid siege to the East Siang district headquarters from Friday night to early Saturday over the proposed 11,200 MW Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP). That protest saw arson, vandalism and clashes with security forces. SUMP's main reservoir is planned near Geku village, about 35 km downstream of Yingkiong, the Upper Siang district headquarters.

The Siang flows from Tibet through the ancestral land of the Adi community in Siang, Upper Siang and East Siang districts. Upper Subansiri is home to the Tagin community, which is closely related to the Adi.

Demands in Upper Siang

Tension continued in Upper Siang, where protesters demanded the release of those arrested over the violence and of four activists held under preventive detention. They also called for central forces to be withdrawn and the pre-feasibility survey for SUMP to be stopped immediately.

Upper Siang Deputy Commissioner Ashok Tajo said the government was examining the cases, but releasing the detainees needed further approvals. He said a withdrawal of central forces would depend on peace being restored, and that the administration was ready to facilitate talks if villagers nominated representatives.