In the midst of a pandemic, a controversy brews around a proposed hydro-electric project that threatens the fragile eco-system of one of India’s few remaining global biodiversity hotspots, the Dibang Valley in Arunachal Pradesh.

In Dibang Valley of Arunachal Pradesh, the indigenous Idu Mishmi community protects one of the world’s most endangered animals, the tiger. Idu children grow up on the story of ancestral brothers born to the same mother - the first Idu, from whom all Idus descend, and the tiger. The tiger is a mythical brother that must not be killed.

Like tigers, all of nature is an integral part of the Idu Mishmi way of life. This shamanic-animist community and their culture have helped sustain the richness of biodiversity in Dibang Valley. The valley is part of the Eastern Himalaya Global Biodiversity Hotspot and is one of 36 such hotspots across the world that contain 60% of the planet’s faunal diversity.

Lately, the region has come under severe threat. In 2008, the Hydropower Development Corporation of Arunachal Pradesh Ltd. and Jindal Power Limited came together for 3,097 MW Etalin Hydro Electric Project (HEP). Proposed to be constructed on the Dibang River, the project is currently awaiting approval from India’s Forest Advisory Committee (FAC). If approved, it will be India’s largest hydro project but it will also destroy close to 2,80,000 trees in the old-growth forests of the Dibang Valley. 

The impact of this project will be unprecedented, and its benefits 12 years after it was envisaged, seem negligible. We bring together the voices of biologists, researchers, conservationists, scientists, geographers, economic analysts and Idu Mishmi community - to highlight the devastating impact the project is likely to have.

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Named after the river Dibang, the valley is home to many endemic and endangered species. As per FAC’s recommendation, Wildlife Institute of India (WII) conducted a 4-month study to assess the biodiversity in the region. However, the WII report was found to be rife with errors and underestimations. To counter this, 29 independent Indian scientists came together to publish a peer-review of WII report, bringing neglected data and insights to light, while critiquing methodology, conclusions, and recommendations of the report.

As per this peer-review, Dibang river basin hosts over 555 bird, 60 mammal, 381 butterfly, 32 fish, 42 reptile, and 48 amphibian species. Found nowhere else in the world, the Rusty-throated Wren-Babbler is a highly range-restricted and threatened species. Arunachal Pradesh has the highest richness of riverine birds on Earth, most of which are entirely dependent on rivers and riverbank habitat of the Dibang and its tributaries. It also hosts the highest (six) colour variations of the Asian golden cat (Schedule I). It is home to the clouded leopards, also a Schedule I species, classified as vulnerable by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. 

As per the research, one of the world’s most endangered species - tigers have been thriving in community-owned forests of Idu Mishmis, without the help of modern conservation techniques, tiger reserves or forest staff. The presence of many rare and endemic species, also makes it a globally significant area for conservation and ecological studies. 

 Four conservation scientists in their letter to the FAC, highlighted that the community forests are being undervalued and the biodiversity is being hugely underestimated. Citing again the controversial WII study, the letter urges that “making a decision based on an incomplete assessment of the extent of impacts on the area’s unique biodiversity, including tigers, would run counter to the FAC’s original recommendation for a full multi-season study.”

Anoko Mega, a member of the Arunachal Pradesh State Board for Wildlife and Idu Mishmi community spoke to Soup about the issue. “We still follow the taboos, the traditional beliefs that keep us close to nature. Tigers are not be killed. And if killed for self-defence, then the person who has killed the tiger needs to follow a taboo of 5 days – equivalent to human death rituals, or else the entire family will be cursed. We have similar taboos for other species. Take for example the Hoolock Gibbon who is associated with misfortunes. That is why we never eat or harm or kill them. Many such beliefs exist which are connected to wildlife and they help in conserving these species. Our Idu Mishmi tradition is very valuable for biodiversity,” he said.

Under 14000 in population, the Idu Mishmi tribe is culturally distinct and extremely vulnerable. Anoko worries that the influx of people for construction will have a dire impact. “Our community will be diluted and extinct – we will lose our own tradition and culture – that is definite. Our people need forest, we need the environment. With this project, that will be lost. We will lose our forefather’s land. The corporates and the central government are always hunting our resources, especially the entire North East. They don’t think about the indigenous people. Of course, development is very necessary, very much required, but there should be some balance.”

As the world grapples with coronavirus pandemic, a new report by the World Wide Fund (WWF) for Nature said wildlife trade and deforestation have led to more human-animal interaction resulting in the emergence of new zoonotic disease outbreaks. Besides, the geographical impact of such a project is also considerably alarming. Chintan Sheth, naturalist and geographer, shares how the region is already prone to natural hazards, “Landslides are a pretty common phenomenon here – exacerbated by irresponsible road-building practices. Additionally, we have climate change – where there could be extreme rainfall events. If you remove the vegetation from Dibang, you have nothing that allows the soil or rocks to stabilize. The vegetation, most of which is primary forest, is understood to be irreplaceable for biodiversity. The lesser the primary forests, the lesser chances of mature eco-system and stable tropic structure.” Dibang Valley is a seismically active zone, recording 34 earthquakes in the past century, with epicentres in the immediate vicinity of Etalin village. He adds, “The largest earthquake recorded by an instrument in the Himalayas - 8.6 on the Richter Scale, occurred here.” 

Local opinions on dam projects in Dibang Valley are divided. A few years ago, Idu Mishmi community lead one the longest, collective anti-dam resistance movements against Dibang Multipurpose Project (2880 MW). But the consent of locals was eventually coerced by terrorising people and the project was approved. This definitely foreshadows the resistance to infrastructure projects in the region.

Submissions to FAC opposing the project have been made by some Idu Mishmi community members. A youth grassroots movement Dibang Resistance is also gaining traction online. But Anoko is of the opinion that many people who support the project aren’t aware of its repercussions. “Most locals have never seen a dam,” he added. There are other coercions at play, as Jindal Power in this booklet about initiatives for local communities has promised health centres, education and skill development, sanitation up-gradation, development of roads and community centres, financial compensation and more. Some Project Affected Families (PAFs) have written to FAC to clear the project citing the urgent need of these developments and amenities in the region.

Many experts conclude that there are different and less aggressive solutions to improve the lives of the community in the valley and around. In the last 12 years, there have been considerable changes in the electricity supply situation in India. Ashwini Chitnis, independent researcher and policy analyst says, “The project is not economical, and even the existing hydro fleet has not been found to be the most effective source to actually meet the peak demand. The last 2 years, battery technology is becoming more affordable and that is really the game-changer. These battery storage systems coupled with renewable energy like solar and wind can deliver a very stable, reliable performance at far less cost and much less environmental damage.” With increasing timelines and several “geological surprises” as Ashwini puts it, the project costs will only increase and further impact the tariff of per unit of power. She says, “The states may refuse to buy this power given how expensive this will be. Take what happened in Maheshwar hydropower project”

So if no one buys the power generated by this plant, whose money will be lost? Ashwini says, “30% is invested by promoters, 70% is based on debt through lending agencies. In India, Power Finance Corporation and Rural Electrical Corporation lend to the projects - giving what is essentially public money. Out of 30% equity, 26% will be put in by Arunachal Pradesh government - which means the monies of taxpayers of Arunachal Pradesh.”

Etalin HEP will irreversibly change ecology, geography, demography and cultural traditions of Dibang Valley. It threatens Idu Mishmis, their language, their culture, their identity. Its costs will literally and figuratively be paid by all of us. And in all likelihood, this project will collapse either because of lack of energy-buyers or natural hazards. As the FAC deliberates on this further and prepares to announce its decision, make sure to add your voice of reason (and there are many) here and here to protect the rare and irreplaceable Dibang Valley.

Written by Ankita Shah