Itanagar, Jul 21 (PTI) Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Monday underscored the importance of local people's participation in the proposed Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP).

He told officials to ensure that indigenous voices are integrated into every stage of the hydropower initiative.

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Chairing a high-level review meeting with Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein, chief secretary Manish Kumar Gupta, and senior officers from the hydro power development department at the civil secretariat here, Khandu said, "Their (indigenous) feedback must be duly considered at every stage."

The statement comes amid growing signs of local acceptance for the controversial project, with villagers from Riga and Pangkang (Kumku) recently signing MoUs in support of a Pre-Feasibility Report (PFR) of the Siang Upper Multipurpose Project.

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The chief minister expressed satisfaction over reports that villagers from the project-affected areas are coming forward to support the preparation of the PFR, terming it a positive development for participatory hydropower planning.

The SUMP is a proposed 11,000 MW run-of-the-river hydroelectric project on the Siang River, one of the major tributaries of the Brahmaputra.

Originally conceived by NHPC in 2009, it is envisioned not just as a power generator but also a critical tool for irrigation and flood moderation.

The reservoir, if built to full scale, would be among the largest in the country, with a storage capacity of nearly 9 billion cubic metres.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)