Preliminary approval granted to 1,000 MW Nyigin hydro power project in Arunachal Pradesh

The Forest Advisory Committee (FAC) of the Union Ministry of Environment has granted significant approval to the proposed Nyigin hydroelectric project in Arunachal Pradesh. According to a report by Aaj Tak, this project with a capacity of 1,000 MW will be operated by the 'North Eastern Electric Power Corporation Limited'. This project will be constructed in the Shi Yomi and Siang districts of Arunachal Pradesh.

Approximately 470 hectares of 'unclassed forest' land will be used for the implementation of this project. During this process, more than 1 lakh trees will be felled. 'Unclassed forest' refers to areas that are recorded as forest but do not fall under the 'reserve' or 'protected' forest categories. The ownership status of such forests varies in every state.

It was noted in the FAC meeting held on 23 October that the proposed area of the Nyigin hydroelectric project falls in a 'high conservation value' zone. This means that the forest land to be used contains extremely dense forests. During this meeting, the committee recommended 'Stage-I' approval, i.e., in-principle approval, for the use of forest land for this project.

This 'Stage-I' approval is subject to certain conditions, which primarily include 'compensatory afforestation', meaning new forests must be grown in exchange for the felled forests. It is mandatory to fulfill all these conditions before receiving formal approval under 'Stage-II'.

The project will involve the construction of a 138-metre high concrete gravity dam from its deepest foundation. This construction will affect 12 villages and more than 400 families. The project's 'Environmental Impact Assessment' report has found that while fishing is not conducted on a commercial scale here, local rural people occasionally catch fish using cast nets, gill nets, and drag nets. Through surveys and discussions, it was found that 20 species of fish are seen in the river and its tributaries.

The report further stated that the construction of the dam and the formation of the reservoir will change the natural habitats of the fish and affect their breeding cycles. This is one of the largest impacts that cannot be completely eliminated. Additionally, the forest land used for the project is located 9.71 km away from the 'Yordey-Rabey Sopa Wildlife Sanctuary' and 19.55 km away from the 'Mouling Wildlife Sanctuary'.

This development comes at a time when tensions have escalated in the region regarding the 'Siang Upper Multipurpose Project' (SUMP). This 11,200 MW project is being opposed by local people. Indigenous communities claim that this project will have a detrimental impact on their ancestral land, river systems, livelihoods, cultural heritage, and regional rights.

Last week, Tegory Maize, spokesperson for the 'Siang Indigenous Farmers Forum' (SIFF), stated in a statement that more than 3,000 paramilitary forces have been deployed in the three districts of East Siang, Siang, and Upper Siang. SIFF is the organization at the forefront of the protests against SUMP. Maize further added that local communities or landowners were never provided any information regarding this proposed dam project, nor was any consultation held with them. He alleged that people are being illegally misled to obtain their signatures to secure majority consent. For these reasons, the recent approval granted to the Nyigin Hydro Electric Project could further worsen the situation in the area.