Mumbai/Pasighat: Two companies of the Rapid Action Force (RAF) are being urgently airlifted from Maharshtra to Pasighat in Arunachal Pradesh to counter protests against the proposed Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP).
Urgent arrangements have been made by the Centre to airlift around 250 personnel of the RAF from Navi Mumbai Airport in Maharashtra to Pasighat Airport in Arunachal Pradesh amid escalating violence linked to the project.
The Ministry of Defence has been requested to facilitate the airlift of two companies of the RAF by arranging suitable Indian Air Force (IAF) aircraft on priority, sources told News18.
This is aimed at ensuring the timely movement of personnel to Arunachal Pradesh to undertake assigned operational duties in view of the prevailing security situation.
The request highlights the urgency of the deployment, with arrangements being sought at the earliest possible time.
There could be further deployment of security personnel, depending on the evolving situation and operational requirements, sources indicated.
Violent incidents rocked Pasighat and adjoining areas of East Siang district following protests over the proposed hydropower project. Government and public properties were targeted during the unrest, prompting the administration to impose restrictions on public gatherings and step up security measures.
A 12-hour bandh was observed on October 23 across Siang, Upper Siang and East Siang districts against the proposed 11,200-megawatt Siang Upper Multipurpose Project. This was followed by violence.
Acts of vandalism were reported in Pasighat on Friday night and continued into the early hours of Saturday. The National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) office was reportedly set ablaze, while a police station, police vehicles and several other properties were attacked or damaged.
According to reports, the residences of state BJP president Kaling Moyong and legislators Ninong Ering and Oni Panyang were also targeted. The office of the Adi Baane Kebang, a prominent organisation representing the Adi community, was vandalised during the unrest.
Authorities are now attempting to curb further escalation in the border district, amid heightened security concerns.
Prohibitory orders have been issued by the East Siang district administration in Pasighat, Mebo and Ruksin following the violence. The measures prohibit gatherings of more than five people and restrict rallies, marches and public meetings without prior written permission.
People have been prohibited from carrying weapons and objects that could be used as weapons, as part of efforts to contain the situation and prevent further incidents.
The proposed airlift of RAF personnel is expected to strengthen the security response as authorities assess the situation and prepare for possible further deployment of forces.
The unrest stems from opposition to the project on the Siang River, one of the largest proposed hydropower developments in the region.
It has generated apprehension among sections of the local population over the potential submergence of inhabited areas, displacement, environmental consequences and the impact on ancestral lands and indigenous communities.
Those opposing the project have also raised concerns about preliminary survey activities associated with the project and have demanded the release of arrested activists and a review of the ongoing process.
The Siang River, which enters India from Tibet and flows through Arunachal Pradesh before joining the Brahmaputra system, holds considerable ecological, economic and cultural significance for communities in the region. Concerns over the river’s future have consequently become a major point of contention between project opponents and authorities seeking to advance the proposed development.
