Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu announced on Saturday, June 6, 2026, that 110 households from Geku in Upper Siang district have signed a Memorandum of Understanding in support of the Pre-Feasibility Report for the Siang Upper Multipurpose Project, marking a significant milestone in the project's community-consent process.

Context

The MoU signing represents a formal step in the clearance pathway for the Siang Upper Multipurpose Project, a proposed dam on the Siang river in Arunachal Pradesh. Local consent through such agreements is a standard requirement before pre-feasibility reports can advance toward full feasibility studies and eventual regulatory approvals. CM Khandu praised the participating families, stating that 'every citizen who supports a project of national importance is a partner in nation-building.'

The Chief Minister extended congratulations to the 110 Geku households, calling their participation an act of 'tremendous courage and vision.' He also acknowledged the role of Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein, Ninong Ering — Adviser to the Minister-in-Charge of the Department of Hydro Power Development (DHPD) — MLA Oni Panyang of the Mariyang-Geku constituency, community leaders, and elders in reaching this milestone.

Policy Backdrop

The Siang Upper Multipurpose Project is positioned not only as a hydropower initiative but explicitly as a strategic infrastructure measure. CM Khandu stated the project is 'about protecting the Siang and the communities living along its banks from any potential threat arising from unregulated or sudden water discharges by a country to our north' — a clear reference to upstream activity by China on the Brahmaputra-Yarlung Tsangpo river system.

Arunachal Pradesh holds an estimated 50 gigawatts of hydropower potential, and India has pursued multiple run-of-river and storage projects in the state since the 2000s. These efforts have gained renewed urgency amid recurring concerns over China's upstream dam-building on the Brahmaputra basin and longstanding disputes over hydrological data sharing between the two countries.

Stakeholders and Impact

For the Geku community and broader Siang valley residents, the project carries dual significance: economic benefit through power generation and a degree of protection against sudden, unregulated water surges from upstream. The MoU signing process reflects the government's effort to build grassroots legitimacy for a project that will significantly alter the local landscape and livelihoods.

The involvement of senior political figures — including Deputy CM Chowna Mein and Adviser Ninong Ering — signals that the project enjoys broad backing across the ruling coalition in the state. Local MLA Oni Panyang's participation underscores that constituency-level outreach was central to securing community consent.

What's Next

The completion of the Pre-Feasibility Report will be a key near-term milestone, potentially paving the way for a full feasibility study and subsequent environmental and wildlife clearances from the Ministry of Environment. Additional MoU signings from other villages along the Siang corridor are expected as the consultation process widens.

With strategic and energy imperatives both in play, the pace of downstream approvals for the Siang Upper Multipurpose Project will be closely watched as a barometer of India's resolve to assert its infrastructure agenda in a sensitive border state.