Demonstrators outside Cotton University demanded cancellation of the 11,200 MW project and the unconditional release of more than 60 people detained under APUAPA
Guwahati: More than 100 people staged a protest outside Cotton University in Guwahati on Friday, demanding the scrapping of the proposed 11,200 MW Siang Upper Multipurpose Project in Arunachal Pradesh.
The demonstration was held in solidarity with the anti-dam movement in Arunachal Pradesh. Protesters accused the state government of using repressive measures against demonstrators and called for the immediate and unconditional release of more than 60 people arrested or detained under the Arunachal Pradesh Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (APUAPA).
Participants warned that the project could displace thousands of families, damage the fragile Himalayan ecosystem, threaten river-dependent livelihoods and endanger indigenous communities’ cultural heritage.
They asserted that a project of such scale should not be imposed without the consent of local communities and urged the authorities to respect their democratic rights.
The demonstrators also called for a joint movement involving Assam and Arunachal Pradesh against large dam projects across the Northeast, emphasising the need to protect indigenous rights, the environment and local livelihoods.
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