Itanagar, Dec 30 (IANS) In a significant step towards strengthening national water and energy security, villagers of Komkar in Arunachal Pradesh on Tuesday extended overwhelming support for the pre-feasibility studies of the Upper Siang Multipurpose Project (USMP), a mega hydropower initiative with a proposed generation capacity of 11,000 MW, officials said.

An official of the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) said that the people of Komkar village in Upper Siang district on Tuesday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the government of Arunachal Pradesh, expressing their unequivocal support for the preparation of the Pre-Feasibility Report (PFR) of the SUMP.

The project was declared to be of national importance by the government of India in 2008. The official said that the MoU was signed in the presence of Chief Minister Pema Khandu (virtually), Minister for Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Ojing Tasing, Mariyang-Geku MLA Oni Panyang, Chief Secretary Manish Kumar Gupta, and senior government officials.

Representatives from 245 out of 257 households of Komkar village – accounting for over 95 per cent consensus – formally endorsed the agreement, underscoring strong community backing for the conduct of PFR-related studies.

The development marks a pivotal milestone in advancing the SUMP, reinforcing a model of informed consent, sustained dialogue and community participation, while balancing developmental aspirations with environmental and social sensitivities.

Village representatives reiterated their collective commitment to national interest and the long-term safety and prosperity of the Siang belt and the Adi community.

According to the CMO official, the villagers expressed appreciation for the state government’s extensive consultations and awareness-building initiatives, particularly on the strategic, ecological and water-security dimensions of the project.

In his address, Chief Minister Pema Khandu expressed gratitude to the people of Komkar for becoming the first village in Upper Siang district to extend formal support for PFR studies, following similar agreements by four villages in Siang district earlier.

He clarified that the current agreement is limited strictly to the preparation of the Pre-Feasibility Report and assured that no construction decision would be taken without exhaustive consultations and consent of all Project Affected Families (PAFs).

The Chief Minister also drew attention to emerging hydrological concerns, including possible diversion or reduction of water flow in the Siang River due to upstream interventions, stressing the necessity of the project to ensure ecological flow and regional water security.

Khandu further expressed gratitude to the government of India for approving a Rs 350 crore special development package for Siang and Upper Siang districts, aimed at strengthening education, healthcare, livelihoods and infrastructure. He urged Komkar village to constitute a Village Development Committee to identify priority programmes under the package.

Reaffirming the government’s commitment to transparency and public participation, the Chief Minister assured that public opinion and consent would remain central at every stage of pre-construction activities, following the completion of the PFR.

Thanking the villagers for their exemplary unity, Chief Secretary Manish Kumar Gupta lauded Komkar’s role in nation-building and regional development.

MLA Oni Panyang described the consensus as a reflection of maturity and collective wisdom, noting that Komkar has set a benchmark for participatory decision-making in the district. Minister Ojing Tasing informed that the MoU followed over a year of detailed deliberations with all households.

He highlighted the strategic importance of the SUMP in safeguarding the region against downstream risks and ensuring long-term stability for Arunachal Pradesh and Assam. Tasing commended the villagers for prioritising both state and national interests.

–IANS

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