📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Dasfour2022
Politics
Arunachal Pradesh Calls Shutdown After Protesters Arrested Over Siang Dam Project
✍️ The New Indian Express
🗓 01 Nov 2026, 12:32 PM
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The state government of Arunachal Pradesh announced a shutdown after security forces detained several protesters opposing the planned 11,200‑MW Siang dam.
Arunachal Pradesh officials have ordered a statewide shutdown in response to the recent arrest of activists who were demonstrating against the proposed 11,200‑megawatt Siang dam. The arrests were carried out by police and paramilitary units in the early hours of Tuesday, prompting local leaders to call for a bandh to protest the crackdown.
The Siang dam project, slated to be one of the largest hydro‑electric schemes in the region, has faced stiff opposition from tribal communities and environmental groups who fear displacement and ecological damage. Protesters gathered at several points across the state, demanding a halt to construction and a transparent review of the project’s impact.
State authorities said the arrests were made under existing law‑and‑order provisions, citing concerns about public safety. However, opposition parties and civil‑society organisations have condemned the move as an attempt to silence dissent, urging the central government to intervene.
The shutdown, scheduled for Thursday, is expected to affect schools, government offices, and commercial activities. Police have warned that any violation of the bandh could result in further legal action.
The situation remains fluid, with both the government and protest leaders awaiting a possible dialogue on the dam’s future, while the broader debate over large‑scale hydro projects continues across the Northeast.
The Siang dam project, slated to be one of the largest hydro‑electric schemes in the region, has faced stiff opposition from tribal communities and environmental groups who fear displacement and ecological damage. Protesters gathered at several points across the state, demanding a halt to construction and a transparent review of the project’s impact.
State authorities said the arrests were made under existing law‑and‑order provisions, citing concerns about public safety. However, opposition parties and civil‑society organisations have condemned the move as an attempt to silence dissent, urging the central government to intervene.
The shutdown, scheduled for Thursday, is expected to affect schools, government offices, and commercial activities. Police have warned that any violation of the bandh could result in further legal action.
The situation remains fluid, with both the government and protest leaders awaiting a possible dialogue on the dam’s future, while the broader debate over large‑scale hydro projects continues across the Northeast.