Protesters Torch Buildings, Vandalise NHPC Offices — SkimNews
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- NHPC's proposed 11,200-megawatt Siang Upper Multipurpose Project in Arunachal Pradesh drew protests that erupted late on Oct 23, with demonstrators torching buildings and vandalising the company office and a police station
- Pema Khandu said around 40 police personnel were injured by stones thrown by protesters, and police fired tear gas canisters to disperse the crowd
- Siang Upper Multipurpose Project would create a vast reservoir to store water and maintain downstream flows into the Brahmaputra; India says it is needed to counter China's US$167 billion Yaxia project in Tibet and would be by far the country's largest hydropower project
- Yaxia — China has said the upstream Tibetan hydropower scheme will have no "negative impact" downstream, directly countering New Delhi's stated fear that it could affect downstream Brahmaputra flows
- Arunachal Pradesh communities oppose the Siang dam over fears of losing their homes and land, and Khandu urged opponents to "question us, have dialogue with us, instead of violence"
- Randhir Jaiswal, a foreign ministry spokesperson, said on Oct 23 that India and China remain in regular contact to manage border tensions through existing diplomatic and military mechanisms, after top Indian border police official Shatrujeet Kapur reported "face offs" between Indian and Chinese forces
- China claims Arunachal Pradesh as part of southern Tibet, while India says the state is an integral part of its territory; the two most populous countries share a disputed Himalayan border patrolled by tens of thousands of troops
Why it matters: For New Delhi, the US$167 billion Yaxia scheme and an 11,200-megawatt counter-dam turn Brahmaputra flows into a strategic asset; the Oct 23 bill fell on Arunachal communities, police and public buildings, with 40 officers injured and NHPC offices damaged. Beijing's promise of no "negative impact" downstream remains contested by New Delhi.
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