On Oct. 23, 2024, angry crowds in Arunachal Pradesh’s Siang valley set fire to an NHPC office and damaged police vehicles, demanding the cancellation of a proposed 11,200‑MW Siang Upper Multipurpose Project that would flood 32 villages.
The dam, slated to harness the Siang River—originally the Yarlung Tsangpo in Tibet—aims to counter China’s 60,000‑MW hydropower expansion and secure about 40 billion cubic metres of water for India.
Chief Minister Pema Khandu said on X that misinformation fuels fears and that the project will not proceed against people's wishes, insisting the pre‑feasibility study is merely technical.
Police have filed 10 cases and detained 26 protesters, while the Central Armed Police Force remains on high alert across East Siang. Local traders report that markets and schools continued to operate amid the unrest.
Officials anticipate the National Hydro Power Corporation will present revised feasibility findings by end‑2025, after which the government will decide whether to launch the project.