Arunachal villagers protest NHPC over land acquisition and compensation issues

Itanagar: Residents of six villages in Arunachal Pradesh's Lower Siang district — Gengi, Siberite, Tango, Ditten, Ossumpuri, and Durpai — staged a dharna on Monday opposing the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation Ltd (NHPC)’s attempt to seek clearance from the National Dam Safety Authority for commissioning three units (250 MW each) of the Subansiri Lower Hydroelectric Project (SLHEP) at Gerukamukh.

The protestors demanded that no clearance be granted until key issues related to land acquisition and compensation under the state’s Rehabilitation and Resettlement (R&R) Policy, 2008 are addressed. They accused NHPC of violating the terms of the Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) signed with the Arunachal Pradesh government.

The villagers claimed that 1,225 hectares of land in Lower Siang have already been submerged due to the project, yet NHPC has failed to compensate for non-timber forest products, medicinal plants, agricultural produce, fruit trees, and other affected resources.

Additionally, they alleged that 2,041 hectares of land have been appropriated by NHPC without following proper legal procedures for acquisition — a move they say breaches the agreements dated September 5, 2001, and January 27, 2010.

The villagers accused NHPC of disregarding the interests of affected landowners and called on the Government of Arunachal Pradesh to intervene.

They urged the National Dam Safety Authority to withhold further clearance for the project until the land acquisition and compensation processes are completed in accordance with the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013 and the R&R Policy of 2008.