ITANAGAR: Hours before Union Minister of Power and Housing & Urban Affairs, Manohar Lal, made his first state visit to Arunachal Pradesh on Monday, the state government detained two anti-dam activists as a “precautionary” measure.
Activist lawyer Ebo Mili and Siang Indigenous Farmers’ Forum (SIFF) convener Dunge Apang were held for over 10 hours during the Union Power Minister’s visit to Itanagar.
The activists were released after signing a peace bond related to a case under section 128 of the Indian Civil Defence Code, facing a Rs 50,000 penalty each for any breach of the bond.
The police justified the detentions as necessary to maintain public order, citing “credible sources” indicating potential disruptions to a public meeting involving the chief minister and the union minister.
Refuting these claims, anti-dam organisations released a statement asserting that Mili and Apang were only trying to hold a peaceful demonstration against the rampant signing of memorandums of understanding (MoUs) with hydropower companies in the state.
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The statement stated that the two were trying to submit a representation to Power Minister Lal “to reconsider the government’s stance on pushing for more dams in our state”.
“In addition, we are deeply concerned about the proposed 11,000 MW Upper Siang Multipurpose Storage Project being considered of national importance. We implore our government to prioritise environmental conservation led by community well-being and our self-determination, focusing on long-term sustainability over short-term gains,” the statement further read.
Despite the social media backlash following the arrests, the chief minister posted on social media about a productive meeting with the power minister.
“Our ongoing projects are making steady progress, and we are committed to overcoming any challenges to expedite their completion. These projects are vital for meeting the state’s power needs, contributing to the national grid, and boosting our economy,” the chief minister wrote.
Notably, the visit and detentions occurred amid widespread power outages in major parts of the state, including several pockets in Papum Pare district, downstream of the Pare and Ranganadi hydroelectric power stations.
Reports also indicate flooding in several downstream areas following the opening of dam gates at both plants.
