Guwahati, Dec 31: In a major boost to a nationally significant infrastructure initiative, residents of Komkar village in Upper Siang district on Tuesday extended overwhelming support for pre-feasibility studies of the Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP) by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Government of Arunachal Pradesh.
Representatives of 245 out of 257 households—over 95% of the village—formally endorsed the agreement, marking the strongest community consensus so far in Upper Siang for the project’s Pre-Feasibility Report (PFR).
The project was declared of national importance by the Government of India in 2008.
The MoU was signed in the presence of Chief Minister Pema Khandu (virtually), Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister Ojing Tasing, Mariyang-Geku MLA Oni Panyang, Chief Secretary Manish Kumar Gupta, and senior officials.
Village representatives said the decision reflects a collective commitment to national interest and the long-term safety and prosperity of the Siang belt and the Adi community.
They acknowledged the state government’s year-long consultations and awareness drives on the project’s strategic, ecological and water-security dimensions.
Calling Komkar the first village in Upper Siang to formally support PFR studies—after similar agreements by four villages in Siang district—Chief Minister Khandu thanked residents for their unity.
He clarified that the agreement is strictly limited to preparing the PFR, and assured that no construction decision would be taken without exhaustive consultations and consent of all Project Affected Families (PAFs).
Khandu also flagged emerging hydrological risks, including potential diversion or reduction of Siang river flows due to upstream interventions, underscoring the need to study options that ensure ecological flow and regional water security.
He expressed gratitude to the Government of India for approving a ₹350-crore Special Development Package for Siang and Upper Siang districts to strengthen education, healthcare, livelihoods and infrastructure, and urged Komkar to constitute a Village Development Committee to prioritise projects under the package.
Chief Secretary Manish Kumar Gupta praised Komkar’s role in nation-building, while MLA Oni Panyang said the consensus sets a benchmark for participatory decision-making.
Minister Ojing Tasing noted the MoU followed over a year of detailed household-level deliberations, highlighting SUMP’s strategic importance in mitigating downstream risks and ensuring long-term stability for Arunachal Pradesh and Assam.
State officials reiterated that transparency, public participation and informed consent will remain central through the PFR stage and beyond
