Tarak alleged that the state government has filed ten cases against her till now for organising a protest against the Dam. She advised the government to consult with China to get an accurate status on the project.“The government is resorting to violent means to silence our protests,” stated Ebo Mili, another lawyer who leads the protests.“State police have illegally detained me three times,” Ebo revealed.“One can only imagine what they are doing to other protesters,” he added.Activists reported that the government has deployed thousands of paramilitary forces to assist the National Hydropower Corporation (NHPC Ltd) in conducting the project’s pre-feasibility study.Last December, 351 environmentalists, journalists, scientists, and civil society organisations sent a letter to the President of India, Droupadi Murmu, urging her to direct the government to withdraw security forces from the area.Experts indicate that the Siang region is known as a global biodiversity hotspot, particularly within the Dihang-Dibang Biosphere Reserve, which spans West Siang, Upper Siang, and Dibang Valley.This area is one of the most biodiverse regions in the state, featuring a wide variety of flora and fauna, including many endemic species. Culturally, the Adi tribe regards the river as sacred, referring to it as ‘Ane,’ which means ‘mother’ in their indigenous language.
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