Latest news with #SUMP
India.com
a day ago
- Politics
- India.com
Masterstroke by Modi government, launches double strike on China, hampers Xi Jinping's plan of building world's largest dam by... India plans to...
Siang Dam: A tractor slowly climbed a muddy hill in Beging village of Siang district in Arunachal Pradesh on May 21. According to the reports, the vehicle was carrying a drilling machine and other equipment meant for a special study. This study was being conducted to explore the possibility of constructing a large dam on the Siang River. The Siang River is known as the Brahmaputra in Assam and the Yarlung Tsangpo in China. The local Adi community there is against the dam and has been protesting. Authorities, meanwhile, tried to carry out the work discreetly. They planned to begin operations in Beging village first and then transport the equipment across the river. Locals are protesting against the dam: According to an ET report, protestors marched to Beging, cut off its only link to the outside world — a hanging bridge — and damaged the drilling machines, halting the survey work. Law enforcement agencies, despite the growing protests, remained restrained and avoided confrontation in the sensitive border region. Fearing a worsening of the situation, authorities temporarily suspended the operations. Here are some of the key details: The NHPC engineers stationed at the current drilling site moved to Pasighat, the main town located on the banks of the Siang River This has brought a temporary calm to the disputed riverfront. The government remains committed to constructing the Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP), which is estimated to cost ₹1.5 lakh crore. The project includes a 267-meter-high dam with a storage capacity of 9.2 billion cubic meters (BCM), designed as a strategic reservoir to counter potential upstream water diversion by China. Dam Vs Dam: It is important to note that this 1,000-megawatt project offers Arunachal Pradesh 12 percent free electricity and revenue sharing. The timing coincides with Beijing laying the foundation of the world's largest dam on the Brahmaputra River. The building of the dam marks the beginning of strategic water management in the Eastern Himalayas. This raises a critical question: Will India's defensive dam strategy provide effective deterrence in this sensitive region, or will it further exacerbate environmental vulnerabilities? Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu said on July 9, 'This (Chinese dam) poses an existential threat to our tribes and our livelihood. It is quite serious because China could even use it as a kind of 'water bomb'.' He made this statement just a few days before Beijing officially announced the commencement of the construction work.
The Print
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Print
Arunachal CM pushes for local consensus on Siang Upper Multipurpose Project
Chairing a high-level review meeting with Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein, chief secretary Manish Kumar Gupta, and senior officers from the hydro power development department at the civil secretariat here, Khandu said, 'Their (indigenous) feedback must be duly considered at every stage.' The statement comes amid growing signs of local acceptance for the controversial project, with villagers from Riga and Pangkang (Kumku) recently signing MoUs in support of a Pre-Feasibility Report (PFR) of the Siang Upper Multipurpose Project. He told officials to ensure that indigenous voices are integrated into every stage of the hydropower initiative. Itanagar, Jul 21 (PTI) Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Monday underscored the importance of local people's participation in the proposed Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP). The chief minister expressed satisfaction over reports that villagers from the project-affected areas are coming forward to support the preparation of the PFR, terming it a positive development for participatory hydropower planning. The SUMP is a proposed 11,000 MW run-of-the-river hydroelectric project on the Siang River, one of the major tributaries of the Brahmaputra. Originally conceived by NHPC in 2009, it is envisioned not just as a power generator but also a critical tool for irrigation and flood moderation. The reservoir, if built to full scale, would be among the largest in the country, with a storage capacity of nearly 9 billion cubic metres. PTI COR UPL UPL RG This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Dam gamble on Siang: China moves ahead with its mega project - Will India's response face local resistance?
Tractors slowly climbed a muddy hillside in Begging village of Arunachal Pradesh's Siang district, carrying drilling rigs and equipment for a sensitive pre-feasibility study on May 21. The goal was to assess the possibility of building a massive dam across the Siang River, called the Brahmaputra in Assam and Yarlung Zangbo in China. But on the opposite bank, in Parong, anger was already building. The local Adi community, opposed to the dam, had been staging protests. Authorities tried to keep operations quiet, planning to start work in Begging and later ferry equipment across the river. However, within a week, resistance intensified. Protesters marched to Begging, cut off its only link to the outside world, a hanging bridge — and damaged the drilling machines, bringing the survey to a halt, ET reported. Despite growing unrest, law enforcement remained restrained, avoiding confrontation in the sensitive border area. The authorities, cautious of escalation, suspended operations temporarily. NHPC engineers stationed at the proposed drilling location withdrew to Pasighat, the primary town along the Siang, leaving the contested riverbank quiet. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Remember Him? Take A Deep Breath Before You See Him Now The Noodle Box Undo This tranquility is temporary. The government remains committed to constructing the Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP), a Rs 1,50,000 crore initiative. The project features a 267-m-tall dam with 9.2 billion cubic metres (bcm) storage capacity, designed as a strategic reserve against potential upstream water releases by China. The 11,000 MW project offers Arunachal Pradesh 12% free electricity and revenue participation. The timing aligns with Beijing's recent groundbreaking of the world's largest dam upstream on the Brahmaputra, initiating strategic water management in the Eastern Himalayas. A critical question emerges: will India's defensive dam strategy provide effective deterrence or exacerbate environmental vulnerabilities in this sensitive region. The timing is telling. Just days ago, China began work on what is expected to be the world's largest dam on the upper reaches of the Brahmaputra River. India's own plans for a massive dam on the Siang — the river's name in Arunachal Pradesh, appear to be a strategic response. But the move raises a critical question. Can India's proposed dam act as a credible counter to China's project, or will it deepen environmental and social challenges in the fragile Eastern Himalayan region? "It (the Chinese dam) is going to cause an existential threat to our tribes and our livelihoods. It is quite serious because China could even use this as a sort of 'water bomb'," Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu told PTI on July 9, just days before Beijing formally announced the commencement of construction. China's first move China was the first to disturb the fragile peace along the McMahon Line. In 2020, amid rising military tensions with India in Ladakh's Galwan Valley, Beijing unveiled plans for a massive hydropower project on the Yarlung Zangbo. It was folded into China's 14th Five-Year Plan, signaling how seriously the country views its strategic importance. That dam, now under construction in Nyingchi near the Great Bend of the river, is expected to outsize even China's famous Three Gorges Dam. It will feature five cascading power stations, generate 300 million megawatthours (MWh) annually, and cost roughly $168 billion. Premier Li Qiang formally launched the project on July 19, calling it the 'project of the century.' China has also created a state-owned firm, China Yajiang Group — to manage construction. China's capital markets have reacted with enthusiasm. Stocks of key engineering firms surged after the announcement, and the CSI Construction & Engineering Index jumped 4% to hit a 7-month high. India's strategic response India's proposed SUMP project is seen as a direct counter to China's dam. The aim: to establish a strategic foothold on the Siang river before it becomes heavily regulated upstream. However, while China's project is already underway, India's remains stuck at the pre-feasibility stage. The project has run into stiff resistance from local communities in Arunachal Pradesh. On May 21, when two rigs were quietly moved into the village of Begging to start pre-feasibility drilling, protests broke out on the opposite bank in Parong. Within a week, angry villagers destroyed the rigs and cut off access by damaging a fragile hanging bridge — the only connection to the outside world. Ecological and cultural fears Many are also worried about the environmental impact of two mega dams facing off across the McMahon Line. The Eastern Himalayas are a seismically active and ecologically fragile zone. Experts warn that the scale of these projects could disrupt the delicate balance of the region's rivers and biodiversity. A bigger concern is the potential for water diversion. According to internal government documents, 84% of the Siang's winter flow in Arunachal Pradesh originates in China. If Beijing decides to divert or block this flow, the Brahmaputra could shrink drastically in the dry season, especially in Upper Assam, before tributaries replenish it downstream, ET reported. Assam's position Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has tried to downplay the risks, arguing that 70% of the Brahmaputra's flow comes from Indian territory and Bhutan, not China. However, experts argue that this may be true on an annual average — but not during the critical winter months, when Chinese-origin water dominates the flow. Could the Brahmaputra shrink? Though the Brahmaputra is often seen as a mighty and resilient river, the data reveals a more complex picture, especially during the dry winter months. As per internal documents related to India's proposed Siang Upper Middle Stage Project (SUMP), 84% of the Brahmaputra's water in Arunachal Pradesh between November and April originates in China. This raises serious concerns. If China diverts or controls the flow upstream through its new mega dam project on the Yarlung Zangbo, the river's volume downstream, especially in Upper Assam—could drop dramatically. In its early stretches, before tributaries join in, the Brahmaputra may shrink to a trickle, threatening the region's ecological balance and biodiversity. The looming presence of two massive dams—one on each side of the McMahon Line—adds urgency to the issue. Experts and locals alike are asking: What will happen to the river and the people who depend on it if both projects go ahead? Voices from the ground: Protests and fears In January, during a visit to the proposed dam sites in Arunachal Pradesh—Parong, Dite Dime, and Ugeng—a sense of fear and resistance was clearly visible. Villagers in Parong, which has around 125 families, voiced strong opposition. 'We are not just opposing the dam, we are against any feasibility studies being conducted here,' Tato Pabin, a local resident of Parong told ET. 'Our orange farms, which thrive in the low-lying areas along the river, will be completely wiped out," he added. Parong has emerged as the frontrunner site for the dam. The other two locations, Dite Dime and Ugeng, appear to have been dropped from active consideration, according to an official familiar with the project. Widespread impact on villages While a full assessment is still pending, initial estimates suggest that nearly 59 villages could be affected by the dam. Of these, at least 15 villages may require complete relocation. So far, only three villages—Pangkang, Riga, and Riew—have given their approval for the project. The rest remain either opposed or undecided, reflecting widespread apprehension in the region. Beyond the human and environmental cost, the proposed dam poses risks to vital infrastructure. A key stretch of road leading to the Tuting Advanced Landing Ground, a strategically important military airstrip near the China border, could be submerged if the project proceeds. This would force authorities to construct an alternative route at a higher elevation—a major logistical and financial undertaking—to maintain military and civilian access in this sensitive frontier zone. As both countries push forward with dam projects, the geopolitical and ecological stakes are higher than ever. Whether India's dam becomes a deterrent or a new source of conflict — or environmental damage — remains to be seen. Stay informed with the latest business news, updates on bank holidays and public holidays . AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now
Economic Times
2 days ago
- Politics
- Economic Times
The Great Dam Game: As China pushes ahead with a mega dam, India's counterplan sinks in local resistance
On May 21, tractors crawled up a muddy hillside road in Begging, a remote village tucked in Arunachal Pradesh's Siang district, hauling two drilling rigs and their heavy gear. This was the quiet beginning of a high-stakes plan—to initiate pre-feasibility studies for a massive dam across the Siang river, known downstream, in Assam, as the Brahmaputra and upstream, in China, as the Yarlung Parong, on the other side of the river, tensions were running high. Anti-dam protests, led by the local Adi community, were escalating. Authorities were hoping to begin work discreetly on the Begging side and to ferry one of the machines across by boat the resistance was swift and fierce. A week later, protesters descended on Begging in large numbers, severing the village's lone connection to the outside world—a fragile hanging bridge—before turning their fury on the equipment. The drilling machines were damaged beyond immediate faced with mounting unrest, the police held back, avoiding a crackdown that could inflame conflict in the frontier region. The government, wary of a confrontation, pulled the plug on the operation, albeit temporarily. Engineers of the hydropower company NHPC, who had been stationed on the proposed drilling site, quietly packed up and retreated to Pasighat, the largest town along the Siang, leaving the embattled riverbank eerily silent once the lull won't last long. The government is resolute in its push to build what it calls the Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP) — a massive, Rs 1,50,000 crore venture. At its heart lies a towering, 267-m-tall dam with a storage capacity of 9.2 billion cubic metres (bcm), envisioned as a strategic buffer in case China abruptly releases water upstream. The project is expected to have an installed capacity of 11,000 MW, with Arunachal Pradesh entitled to 12% of the power free of cost, along with a share in the revenue. The timing is no coincidence. Just last week, Beijing broke ground on what's set to be the world's largest dam on the upper reaches of the Brahmaputra. With that, the water chessboard of the Eastern Himalayas has officially been set in a pressing question looms: will India's counter-dam gambit act as a credible deterrent or tip the balance, deepening the ecological fault lines in an already fragile landscape?'It (the Chinese dam) is going to cause an existential threat to our tribes and our livelihoods. It is quite serious because China could even use this as a sort of 'water bomb',' Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu told PTI on July 9, just days before Beijing formally announced the commencement of construction. CM, however, did not respond to ET's queries on whether SUMP could serve as an effective countermeasure to China's mega dam — or on reports that the project's pre-feasibility study has stalled amid strong resistance from local communities. China was the first to disturb the stillness of the Eastern Himalayas along the McMahon Line. In 2020, Beijing announced the ambitious hydropower project over the Yarlung Zangbo in Tibet, incorporating it into the country's 14th Five-Year Plan. The timing was no coincidence—Indian and Chinese troops were engaged in fierce clashes in the Galwan Valley on the western New Delhi, the message was unmistakable. The spectre of a 'water bomb'—unleashed from a mega dam near the Brahmaputra's Great Bend, where the river plunges nearly 2 km— was no longer a distant possibility. It had become a pressing strategic concern. In response, India floated its own countermeasure: the SUMP, a dam on its side of the river. But while China has already broken ground— with Premier Li Qiang formally launching construction on July 19 in a high-profile ceremony in Nyingchi, also calling it the 'project of the century'—India remains stuck at the starting line. Pre-feasibility studies, bogged down by bureaucratic delays and growing grassroots resistance, have yet to take off. Beijing has also announced the formation of a new state-owned enterprise— China Yajiang Group—to oversee the construction of what is set to become the largest hydropower dam, surpassing the iconic Three Gorges Dam. According to China's state-run news agency Xinhua, the project, estimated at around 1.2 trillion yuan (approximately $167.8 billion), will feature five cascade hydropower stations and generate 300 million megawatthours (MWh) of electricity annually. In comparison, the Three Gorges Dam on the Yangtze river—currently the world's largest power station by installed capacity—produces just 88 million MWh per year. The new dam is expected to become operational in the 2030s. China's capital markets responded positively. As reported by Reuters on July 21, the CSI Construction & Engineering Index surged 4% to hit a seven-month high, with shares of Power Construction Corporation of China and Arcplus Group PLC both soaring to their 10% daily trading limits. While capital markets may be celebrating—driven by the lure of massive profits—the deeper concerns surrounding the project remain largely unaddressed. Should there be a dam of such staggering scale in the seismically active and fragile Himalayan belt?Equally troubling is the spectre of water diversion. If Beijing alters the flow of the Yarlung Zangbo, the ripple effects would cascade downstream, potentially disrupting livelihoods not only in Assam Valley, but all the way to Bangladesh, where the river is known as the Jamuna.'Legendary singer Bhupen Hazarika described the Brahmaputra as Mahabahu, a symbol of strength and grandeur, a mighty force that binds together communities of different hues,' says Kuladhar Saikia, former Assam DGP and Sahitya Akademi Award-winning author. Expressing concern over the possibility of the river running dry during winter once the Chinese mega dam becomes operational, he adds, 'The Brahmaputra is not just an economic lifeline — it is the main artery of our culture, tradition, language, literature and creativity.' Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has sought to downplay concerns over China's dam project. He argues that nearly 70% of the Brahmaputra's flow comes from rainfall within Indian territory — specifically Arunachal Pradesh and Assam—and Bhutan, suggesting that the river is not heavily reliant on glacial sources from across the border. In multiple interactions with the press, he has maintained that the final assessment will rest with the Centre. While it is true that the Brahmaputra is a vast and resilient river system and not dependent on a single source, the data tells a more nuanced story. According to concept papers for the SUMP, which ET has seen, 84% of the river's volume in Arunachal Pradesh during the winter months—from November to April—is fed by water originating in means, if China were to divert the upstream flow, the Brahmaputra — particularly in Upper Assam, where most major tributaries are yet to merge — could shrink to a mere stream during the winter months, jeopardising the region's ecological balance and rich this backdrop, the question becomes even more urgent: what happens when there are two dams, one each on either side of the McMahon Line? During a visit to the two villages that are the proposed SUMP sites—Parong and Dite Dime (Ugeng being the third site)—in January, this writer encountered a palpable sense of fear and resistance among the local people. 'We are not just opposing the dam, we are against any feasibility studies being conducted here,' said Tato Pabin, a resident of Parong, a village of 125 families. 'Our orange farms, which thrive in the low-lying areas along the river, will be completely wiped out.' According to an official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, Parong has emerged as the most likely location for the dam. The other two sites, Dite Dime and Ugeng—both situated further upstream—are reportedly no longer under active consideration. While the full extent of the impact will only be known after pre-feasibility studies are conducted, preliminary estimates suggest that around 59 villages could be affected. Of these, at least 15 villages may need to be relocated entirely. So far, only three villages—Pangkang, Riga and Riew—have given their consent to the project. There is yet another potential fallout. A section of the existing road that winds its way to the strategically vital Tuting Advanced Landing Ground is likely to be submerged. If the government decides to move forward with the project, one of its first tasks will be to build a brand-new road, at a significantly higher elevation, to maintain critical military and civilian connectivity in this sensitive frontier region.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
The Great Dam Game: As China pushes ahead with a mega dam, India's counterplan sinks in local resistance
On May 21, tractors crawled up a muddy hillside road in Begging, a remote village tucked in Arunachal Pradesh 's Siang district, hauling two drilling rigs and their heavy gear. This was the quiet beginning of a high-stakes plan—to initiate pre-feasibility studies for a massive dam across the Siang river, known downstream, in Assam, as the Brahmaputra and upstream, in China , as the Yarlung Zangbo . In Parong, on the other side of the river, tensions were running high. Anti-dam protests, led by the local Adi community, were escalating. Authorities were hoping to begin work discreetly on the Begging side and to ferry one of the machines across by boat later. Explore courses from Top Institutes in Please select course: Select a Course Category Cybersecurity Digital Marketing PGDM Artificial Intelligence Leadership Management Project Management MBA Finance Design Thinking Data Analytics others CXO MCA Product Management Technology Data Science Healthcare Degree healthcare Public Policy Others Operations Management Data Science Skills you'll gain: Duration: 10 Months MIT xPRO CERT-MIT xPRO PGC in Cybersecurity Starts on undefined Get Details But the resistance was swift and fierce. A week later, protesters descended on Begging in large numbers, severing the village's lone connection to the outside world—a fragile hanging bridge—before turning their fury on the equipment. The drilling machines were damaged beyond immediate repair. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Villas For Sale in Dubai Might Surprise You Dubai villas | search ads Get Deals Undo Though faced with mounting unrest, the police held back, avoiding a crackdown that could inflame conflict in the frontier region. The government, wary of a confrontation, pulled the plug on the operation, albeit temporarily. Engineers of the hydropower company NHPC, who had been stationed on the proposed drilling site, quietly packed up and retreated to Pasighat, the largest town along the Siang, leaving the embattled riverbank eerily silent once more. But the lull won't last long. The government is resolute in its push to build what it calls the Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP) — a massive, Rs 1,50,000 crore venture. At its heart lies a towering, 267-m-tall dam with a storage capacity of 9.2 billion cubic metres (bcm), envisioned as a strategic buffer in case China abruptly releases water upstream. The project is expected to have an installed capacity of 11,000 MW, with Arunachal Pradesh entitled to 12% of the power free of cost, along with a share in the revenue. Live Events The timing is no coincidence. Just last week, Beijing broke ground on what's set to be the world's largest dam on the upper reaches of the Brahmaputra. With that, the water chessboard of the Eastern Himalayas has officially been set in motion. Now, a pressing question looms: will India's counter-dam gambit act as a credible deterrent or tip the balance, deepening the ecological fault lines in an already fragile landscape? 'It (the Chinese dam) is going to cause an existential threat to our tribes and our livelihoods. It is quite serious because China could even use this as a sort of 'water bomb',' Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu told PTI on July 9, just days before Beijing formally announced the commencement of construction. CM, however, did not respond to ET's queries on whether SUMP could serve as an effective countermeasure to China's mega dam — or on reports that the project's pre-feasibility study has stalled amid strong resistance from local communities. FIRST MOVE BY CHINA China was the first to disturb the stillness of the Eastern Himalayas along the McMahon Line . In 2020, Beijing announced the ambitious hydropower project over the Yarlung Zangbo in Tibet, incorporating it into the country's 14th Five-Year Plan. The timing was no coincidence—Indian and Chinese troops were engaged in fierce clashes in the Galwan Valley on the western front. For New Delhi, the message was unmistakable. The spectre of a 'water bomb'—unleashed from a mega dam near the Brahmaputra's Great Bend, where the river plunges nearly 2 km— was no longer a distant possibility. It had become a pressing strategic concern. In response, India floated its own countermeasure: the SUMP, a dam on its side of the river. But while China has already broken ground— with Premier Li Qiang formally launching construction on July 19 in a high-profile ceremony in Nyingchi, also calling it the 'project of the century'—India remains stuck at the starting line. Pre-feasibility studies, bogged down by bureaucratic delays and growing grassroots resistance, have yet to take off. Beijing has also announced the formation of a new state-owned enterprise— China Yajiang Group—to oversee the construction of what is set to become the largest hydropower dam, surpassing the iconic Three Gorges Dam. According to China's state-run news agency Xinhua, the project, estimated at around 1.2 trillion yuan (approximately $167.8 billion), will feature five cascade hydropower stations and generate 300 million megawatthours (MWh) of electricity annually. In comparison, the Three Gorges Dam on the Yangtze river—currently the world's largest power station by installed capacity—produces just 88 million MWh per year. The new dam is expected to become operational in the 2030s. China's capital markets responded positively. As reported by Reuters on July 21, the CSI Construction & Engineering Index surged 4% to hit a seven-month high, with shares of Power Construction Corporation of China and Arcplus Group PLC both soaring to their 10% daily trading limits. CASCADING CONCERNS While capital markets may be celebrating—driven by the lure of massive profits—the deeper concerns surrounding the project remain largely unaddressed. Should there be a dam of such staggering scale in the seismically active and fragile Himalayan belt? Equally troubling is the spectre of water diversion. If Beijing alters the flow of the Yarlung Zangbo, the ripple effects would cascade downstream, potentially disrupting livelihoods not only in Assam Valley, but all the way to Bangladesh, where the river is known as the Jamuna. 'Legendary singer Bhupen Hazarika described the Brahmaputra as Mahabahu, a symbol of strength and grandeur, a mighty force that binds together communities of different hues,' says Kuladhar Saikia, former Assam DGP and Sahitya Akademi Award-winning author. Expressing concern over the possibility of the river running dry during winter once the Chinese mega dam becomes operational, he adds, 'The Brahmaputra is not just an economic lifeline — it is the main artery of our culture, tradition, language, literature and creativity.' Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has sought to downplay concerns over China's dam project. He argues that nearly 70% of the Brahmaputra's flow comes from rainfall within Indian territory — specifically Arunachal Pradesh and Assam—and Bhutan, suggesting that the river is not heavily reliant on glacial sources from across the border. In multiple interactions with the press, he has maintained that the final assessment will rest with the Centre. WILL BRAHMAPUTRA SHRINK? While it is true that the Brahmaputra is a vast and resilient river system and not dependent on a single source, the data tells a more nuanced story. According to concept papers for the SUMP, which ET has seen, 84% of the river's volume in Arunachal Pradesh during the winter months—from November to April—is fed by water originating in China. That means, if China were to divert the upstream flow, the Brahmaputra — particularly in Upper Assam, where most major tributaries are yet to merge — could shrink to a mere stream during the winter months, jeopardising the region's ecological balance and rich biodiversity. Against this backdrop, the question becomes even more urgent: what happens when there are two dams, one each on either side of the McMahon Line? During a visit to the two villages that are the proposed SUMP sites—Parong and Dite Dime (Ugeng being the third site)—in January, this writer encountered a palpable sense of fear and resistance among the local people. 'We are not just opposing the dam, we are against any feasibility studies being conducted here,' said Tato Pabin, a resident of Parong, a village of 125 families. 'Our orange farms, which thrive in the low-lying areas along the river, will be completely wiped out.' According to an official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, Parong has emerged as the most likely location for the dam. The other two sites, Dite Dime and Ugeng—both situated further upstream—are reportedly no longer under active consideration. VILLAGES TO BE AFFECTED While the full extent of the impact will only be known after pre-feasibility studies are conducted, preliminary estimates suggest that around 59 villages could be affected. Of these, at least 15 villages may need to be relocated entirely. So far, only three villages—Pangkang, Riga and Riew—have given their consent to the project. There is yet another potential fallout. A section of the existing road that winds its way to the strategically vital Tuting Advanced Landing Ground is likely to be submerged. If the government decides to move forward with the project, one of its first tasks will be to build a brand-new road, at a significantly higher elevation, to maintain critical military and civilian connectivity in this sensitive frontier region.
