📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / John Thomson
Politics
Arunachal Protest Over Siang Dam Escalates, 36‑Hour Bandh Shuts Down State
✍️ Deccan Chronicle
🗓 02 Nov 2026, 03:37 PM
👁 16
A 36‑hour bandh in Arunachal Pradesh has halted transportation and commerce as anti‑dam activists intensify their protest over the proposed Siang dam.
Arunachal Pradesh witnessed a significant escalation in anti‑dam protests today as activists demanded the cancellation of the proposed Siang dam project. The movement, which has been gaining momentum for months, culminated in a 36‑hour bandh that shut down major roads, schools, and government offices across the state.
The bandh, organized by local tribal groups and environmental activists, aimed to pressure the central government to reconsider the dam’s environmental and social impact. According to eyewitnesses, traffic on the NH 13 corridor was completely halted, and several bus services were suspended.
State officials reported that the bandh caused a temporary halt in the supply of essential goods to remote villages, prompting the government to deploy additional logistics teams to ensure food and medicine reached affected areas. Police maintained a calm environment, with no reports of violence.
The protest is part of a broader national debate on large hydroelectric projects in ecologically sensitive regions. The state government has pledged to engage with stakeholders and conduct a comprehensive environmental assessment before any construction proceeds.
The bandh, organized by local tribal groups and environmental activists, aimed to pressure the central government to reconsider the dam’s environmental and social impact. According to eyewitnesses, traffic on the NH 13 corridor was completely halted, and several bus services were suspended.
State officials reported that the bandh caused a temporary halt in the supply of essential goods to remote villages, prompting the government to deploy additional logistics teams to ensure food and medicine reached affected areas. Police maintained a calm environment, with no reports of violence.
The protest is part of a broader national debate on large hydroelectric projects in ecologically sensitive regions. The state government has pledged to engage with stakeholders and conduct a comprehensive environmental assessment before any construction proceeds.