Arunachal Bandh Over Menga Dam Paralyses Upper Subansiri: Vehicles Damaged
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Normal life came to a grinding halt across the Upper Subansiri district of Arunachal Pradesh on Monday as a 12-hour total shutdown called by local student unions and land-affected community groups triggered widespread disruption and sporadic violence. Protesters took to the streets to demonstrate against the proposed Menga Dam project, leading to incidents of stone-pelting and vehicular damage that left a state police driver and a paramilitary jawan injured. In response to the escalating tensions, district administrative and police authorities initiated intensive security maneuvers, including confidence-building flag marches across key commercial corridors, while appealing to local youth and community stakeholders to refrain from lawlessness and maintain communal peace.
12-Hour Bandh Hits Upper Subansiri: Student Unions Lead Agitation
The dawn-to-dusk strike caused widespread disruption across key administrative divisions and transit routes:
Massive Civic Disruption: The 12-hour total shutdown, which commenced at 5:00 AM, brought commercial markets, public transit networks, private establishments, and educational institutions to a standstill across the border district.
Agitation Spearheaded by Student Bodies: The shutdown call was formally issued and enforced by the All Tagin Students' Union (ATSU), joined by allied civil society organizations and collective associations representing indigenous land-affected families.
Opposition to River Project: The agitators are demonstrating against the execution of the Menga Dam project, voicing severe concerns regarding environmental displacement, local rehabilitation terms, and ancestral land acquisition.
Sporadic Clashes Erupt: Two Security Personnel Hospitalized Amid Vehicle Damage
While the shutdown remained largely observational in certain pockets, scattered instances of unrest resulted in physical injuries:
Attacks on Commuter and Official Vehicles: Agitating groups targeted moving vehicles along key transit arteries, resulting in significant property damage.
Two Security Personnel Injured: A police constable-cum-driver identified as Hibu Lasha and a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) jawan sustained injuries during the protest skirmishes, with both personnel immediately evacuated to local medical centers for clinical treatment.
Flag Marches in Daporijo: Following the vandalism, district police personnel and central armed contingents conducted an extensive flag march through the heart of Daporijo town to restore public order, with senior officers directly appealing to local youths to shun violent agitation and maintain law and order.
Property Surveys Completed in Select Belts; Inside the 1,605 MW Hydro Project
Despite the bandh-related unrest in district centers, administrative land demarcation initiatives progressed in select villages:
Surveys Concluded Without Incident: Administrative teams successfully and peacefully completed critical property assessment surveys in Jaring, Gusar, and Labelle localities under security monitoring.
Part of 1,605 MW Subansiri Upper Venture: The contentious Menga Dam forms an integral component of the massive 1,605 MW Subansiri Upper Hydroelectric Project, which is being planned and executed by state-run hydropower giant NHPC Limited on the Subansiri River.
Strategic Energy Ambitions: While the Central and state governments view the hydel venture as a cornerstone for clean energy infrastructure and regional development in the Northeast, local tribal associations continue to demand transparent consultations and safeguard guarantees before civil construction advances.
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