East Siang- Participants of the Course on Green Socialism, which was
scheduled to be held in Pasighat in East Siang District of Arunachal
Pradesh, during 7-11 October, 2026 were not allowed to enter Arunachal
Pradesh on written orders of the Deputy Commissioner
cum District Magistrate Sonalika Jiwani stating that the presence of
participants may adversely affect the peace, public order and good
administration of the area. Exercising her power under Section 22 of
the Chin Hills Regulation, 1896 she restricted the participants from
entering or remaining within the territorial jurisdiction of East
Siang District, in the interest of public safety and for maintenance
of law and order in the district, with immediate effect and until
further orders.

 The participants who were banned from entering East Siang
District include Sandeep Pandey, Rajendra Minj, Bharat Lal, Amita
Devi, Naina Bhaumik, Mahesh Pandey and Mahesh Rawat. Interestingly,
Naina Bhoumik d/o of Amita Devi is merely 11 years old, yet she poses
a threat to peace and public order in Arunachal Pardesh.

Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP) is a mega hydropower project with a proposed capacity of more than 10,000 MW. The government has been pushing ahead with pre-feasibility studies despite opposition from villagers.

The above-mentioned course was organized by Socialist
Party (India), India Greens Party and Voters’ Party International.
Niya Tapo, Secretary, Socialist Party (India) and Dubit Siram,
Secretary, Youth Wing of Siang Indigenous Farmers’ Forum were the
local hosts for this Course, who had earlier in the day informed the
Additional DC and SP of East Siang about the organization of this
course.

 It is noteworthy that in the last week the movement
against proposed big dam on Siang river has intensified in the Siang
valley provoked by the visit of Chief Minister Pema Khandu to the
area. Protestors, mainly belonging to Adi tribe community are opposing
the ongoing Pre-Feasibility Report activities and survey work and
demand the withdrawal of security forces from the region. They carried
placards ‘No PFR, No Survey’ and ‘Go Back CM.’ MLA Alo Libang’s house
in Yingkiong was vandalized, a police vehicle was set ablaze and many
were injured in police lathi charge. People questioned the motive of
CM in meeting the officials rather than the people of 27 villages
affected by the dam project.