ITANAGAR: Hundreds of project-affected families (PAFs) of the Subansiri Lower Hydroelectric Project (SLHEP) in Dollungmukh on Monday demanded immediate resurvey, revised compensation, and “mandatory jungle clearance in the submergence of the SLHEP.”
In a letter they submitted to the NHPC executive director, the PAFs alleged serious lapses in land assessment, compensation, and environmental safeguards at the controversial NHPC project.
The affected families claimed that the initial land acquisition of approximately 1,562.8 hectares was carried out primarily through aerial surveys, ignoring repeated demands for a proper physical ground survey.
They argued that this flawed process led to significant underestimation of actual land holdings and inadequate compensation.
A joint field inspection conducted on 9 April by the SULPIC and the affected families reportedly revealed that large areas of land are already submerged due to backflow even at the current dam height of 180 metres.
The affected families warned that raising the dam’sheight to the proposed 210 metres would submerge additional land and impact more households, rendering the earlier assessment invalid.
The letter highlighted another major concern – the complete absence of adequate jungle clearance in the submergence zone.
The PAFs stated that this violates the environmental clearance conditions stipulated by the National Green Tribunal and the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
“Large stretches of vegetation and trees remain standing in the submergence area from the dam axis up to the Subansiri River confluence,” they said.
According to the PAFs, expert assessments indicate that the submerged biomass could decompose, releasing harmful gases, degrading water quality, and causing long-term ecological damage. This, they said, poses serious threats to human health, aquatic biodiversity, and the safety of river-dependent communities.
The letter urged the authorities to take immediate action on three key demands: conduct a time-bound, transparent, and comprehensive physical resurvey of the entire submergence area; provide fair, revised, and additional compensation to all affected families for newly submerged and impacted lands; and complete jungle clearance in the submergence zone without further delay, in compliance with environmental norms.
