The Siang Upper Multipurpose Dam in Arunachal Pradesh is at the pre-feasibility report stage, even as protests heat up.
BJP MP Tapir Gao says the dam "will be built anyhow, whether today or tomorrow. Even if it is not constructed in our generation, the Government of India will build it in the future," calling it a national project that's been on the table since 2008.
But many locals and student groups aren't convinced, worried about losing their land and how the dam could impact the environment.
Pema Khandu promises community consent
Chief Minister Pema Khandu has promised that nothing will move forward without community consent, but there's confusion since Gao insists construction is certain.
Recent protests in Pasighat even turned violent, with concerns about more than 27 villages possibly being displaced.
Despite all this, the government is still preparing a pre-feasibility report (PFR) and says it wants to talk with affected communities, though fears about environmental damage and ancestral land loss remain strong.