About the Upper Siang Hydropower Project:
- It is a proposed 11,000 MW hydropower plant located on the Siang River (Brahmaputra in Arunachal Pradesh) in the Upper Siang district of Arunachal Pradesh.
- The Siang River is the upper course of the Brahmaputra River, revered as Aane Siang (Mother Siang) by locals.
- This project is envisioned as a strategic countermeasure to China's proposed 60,000 MW super dam on the Yarlung Tsangpo (Brahmaputra in Tibet) in Tibet's Medog County.
Key Details of the Project:
- Developers: Jointly undertaken by the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) and the North Eastern Electric Power Corporation (NEEPCO).
- Pre-Feasibility Report (submitted in December 2022):
- Installed Capacity: 11,000 MW.
- Reservoir Storage: 9 billion cubic meters (BCM).
- Estimated Cost: ₹1,13,000 crore.
- The area is primarily inhabited by the Adi Tribe, an indigenous community with a strong connection to the Siang River.
- Residents rely on pani kheti (settled agriculture along riverbanks) for sustenance, as the hilly terrain offers limited farming opportunities.
The Adi Tribe:
- The Adi Tribe speaks Tibeto-Burman languages and traces its origins to southern China in the 16th century.
- They are skilled artisans, especially in crafting items from cane and bamboo.
- Major festivals include:
- Solung: Harvest festival involving animal sacrifices.
- Aran: Hunting festival.
- Unique Practices: The Motor or Pator system, a ritual involving self-restriction through village lockdowns to locate wild herbs during epidemics.
