Riga village backs Siang dam project, signs MoU with Arunachal Govt amid promises of transparency and consent

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaJuly 12, 2025

In a key development for the long-stalled Siang Upper Multipurpose Project, residents of Riga village in Arunachal Pradesh’s Siang district have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the state government, pledging their support for survey and drilling work essential to the project’s Pre-Feasibility Report (PFR).

The MoU was signed on Friday afternoon in the presence of Chief Minister Pema Khandu, Cabinet Minister Ojing Tasing, and Chief Secretary Manish Kumar Gupta. The Upper Siang Project, declared a national project by the Union government in 2008, has seen years of delay due to local resistance and environmental concerns.

Chief Minister Khandu lauded the residents for what he called “incredible wisdom and maturity,” noting that over 80% of households in Riga had backed the initiative. He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to transparency, pledging open dialogue with all Project Affected Families after the PFR is completed.

“We are committed to fair, frank deliberations and will seek public consent at every stage of pre-construction,” Khandu said, framing the project as essential for both state development and national interest.

Minister Ojing Tasing, a native of Siang, highlighted that the MoU followed more than six months of consultations with every household in Riga. He emphasized the village’s importance to the Minyong tribe, pointing out that descendants of Riga have founded 47 other villages while retaining deep emotional and familial ties.

Tasing expressed hope that other communities in the region would follow Riga’s example and support the national project, which aims to bring hydropower, irrigation, and flood control benefits to the region.

Representatives of Riga village voiced their “steadfast commitment” to the project, citing the need for a sustainable and prosperous future for the Siang belt and the broader Adi community.