Tensions are rising in Arunachal Pradesh’s Siang belt , with sections of the indigenous Adi community, youth leaders and riverbank residents objecting to the proposed Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP). A 12-hour shutdown was called on Friday; reports of vandalism and violence emerged soon after it ended and continued late into the night.

According to locals, the project threatens them economically and socially, and also impinges upon the sentimental and cultural heritage attached to their ancestral land. Even as the government goes ahead with the pre-feasibility survey (PFR), apprehensions have only grown.

The state government maintains that the SUMP is essential to counter China’s proposed upstream dam and is a national security issue.

What is the Siang Upper Multipurpose Project?

At 11,200 MW, the SUMP is touted to be India’s largest hydropower project.…