Siang Dam meet turns chaotic; ‘fruitful but no concrete outcome,’ says SIFF

#watch 𝐒𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐠 𝐃𝐚𝐦 𝐦𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐬 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐜; ‘𝐟𝐫𝐮𝐢𝐭𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐧𝐨 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐞 𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞,’ 𝐬𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐒𝐈𝐅𝐅 What began as a consultative meeting on the contentious Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP) in Arunachal Pradesh’s Siang district spiralled into chaos on Tuesday evening, as villagers opposing the mega hydropower project clashed with security forces seeking inclusion in the dialogue. The meeting, attended by Rural Development Minister and Pangin MLA Ojing Tasing, Geku MLA Oni Panyang, district officials, and representatives of the Siang Indigenous Farmers Forum (SIFF) and Adi Students' Union (AdiSU), was meant to address growing unrest over the proposed 11,000–12,500 MW dam project. Tensions flared as affected villagers, many strongly opposed to the dam, attempted to storm the venue demanding to participate in the meeting. The situation turned volatile, with scuffles erupting between security personnel and demonstrators, resulting in injuries to some protesters. Widely circulated videos on social media showed Minister Tasing being surrounded by an angry crowd and struggling to exit the premises. He was eventually escorted out by security personnel. During the meeting, SIFF submitted a three-point memorandum demanding immediate withdrawal of paramilitary forces, removal of drilling equipment, and the submission of the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the SUMP. “The meeting did not yield any concrete results,” said SIFF spokesperson Likeng Libang. “However, the minister has assured us that he will take the matter up with the Chief Minister and seek an appointment to discuss our concerns further. Our stand, however, remains firm,” he said. #ArunachalPradesh #siangdam #northeastindia