New Delhi, Oct. 9 -- The state-backed National Hydroelectric Power Corporation Ltd (NHPC) last week held a key meeting with indigenous tribes of Arunachal Pradesh to convince them about the need for a proposed Siang upper multipurpose project, planned to be the country's biggest, amid local protests and resistance over fears of displacement and impact on livelihoods, according to an official who spoke on the condition of anonymity. The Siang upper project, envisaged to have 14 billion cubic metres of storage capacity and generate 11,200 MW of electricity, is meant to act as a buffer against a mega dam being built by China in Tibet, which will be the world's biggest, when completed. India fears the Chinese dam could cut water flows in the Siang and Brahmaputra, which sustains millions of people downstream in the northeastern states and Bangladesh. In the meeting held on Saturday in Pasighat, a town in the northeastern state's East Siang district, NHPC officials made a detailed presentation and explained the "strategic importance" of the Siang upper project to organisations representing the local Adi population, urging them not to hinder pre-feasibility studies for the dam. "The meeting was held in a cordial atmosphere. Officials explained why the dam is necessary from a strategic point of view and for long-term water security," the official said. Leaders from the Adi Baane Kebang, a local community organisation, and the Siang Indigenous Farmers' Forum participated in the talks. Both the organisations are at the forefront of the Adi tribe's resistance against a dam over the Siang river, which is considered a "mother" and a source of livelihood for the predominantly paddy-growing hill tribe. "We continue to demand a halt to all activities related to preliminary feasibility report of Siang upper multipurpose project until proper consultation is held and consent is given by all 31 affected villages," said Jirbo Jamoh, a leader of the Adi Students' Union. "The NHPC assured all stakeholders and villagers that they would be consulted at every step. They would be involved in all processes, from environmental-impact assessment to rehabilitation in a transparent manner," the official said. The Siang, which flows through Arunachal Pradesh, is the Brahmaputra's main tributary that connects it to the Yarlung Tsangpo. The Chinese dam is located around a "great bend" on the Yarlung Tsangpo river, which is known in India as the Brahmaputra, a lifeline for Assam. The giant Chinese dam, projected to generate 300 billion kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity annually, three times more energy than the Three Gorges Dam, would allow the neighbour to divert up to 40 BCM of water and trigger water crises downstream during drier seasons, according to an official document prepared by the Central Water Commission. The Siang Upper project would help cushion such an eventuality by releasing water during drier months, according to the official....