Itanagar, November 2, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Normal life was disrupted in parts of Arunachal Pradesh on Monday as a 36-hour shutdown against the proposed 11,200-MW Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP) affected shops, educational institutions and public transport.
The impact was most severe in Upper Siang, where schools, government offices and markets remained closed. Buses stayed off the roads, while protesters reportedly burnt tyres at several locations. East Siang witnessed some disruption, but normal activities continued in Siang district.
The shutdown was called by the Siang Indigenous Farmers Forum (SIFF) and the Siang Upper Multipurpose Project Affected Area Youth Association (SAAYA). Upper Siang Deputy Commissioner Ashok Tajo declared it illegal under Section 163 of the BNSS, 2023, citing disruption to public life and the risk of damage to property. The protesters are demanding the release of arrested demonstrators, withdrawal of additional security forces and suspension of survey work.
The opposition Arunachal Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) has demanded that the project be scrapped and all arrested protesters released. It also sought withdrawal of cases under the Arunachal Pradesh Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, revocation of suspension orders against government employees, withdrawal of cases against village headmen and compensation and medical assistance for those affected by the agitation.
APCC president Bosiram Siram has claimed that the proposed dam could lead to the submergence of 27 villages. Sections of the indigenous Adi community have opposed the project over concerns about displacement, loss of ancestral land, forests and agricultural livelihoods, and disruption of cultural practices.
The project has strategic significance for the Centre amid China’s proposed hydropower project on the Yarlung Tsangpo River in Tibet, which enters India as the Siang. Meanwhile, Chief Minister Pema Khandu and Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein have said the state government remains open to dialogue. Khandu has also held consultations with legislators, the Arunachal Indigenous Tribes Forum and community-based organisations on the project’s Pre-Feasibility Report.
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