Boleng: A four-day awareness and orientation programme on Water Management and the Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP) concluded in Arunachal Pradesh's Boleng, with more than 240 participants from different government departments and community service sectors taking part in the initiative aimed at promoting greater public understanding of the project and sustainable water resource management.
Organised from July 28 to 31 at the Deputy Commissioner's Office in Boleng, the programme brought together teachers, CDPOs, Auxiliary Nurse Midwife (ANM), Health Assistants, Anganwadi and ASHA workers, and departmental for a series of training sessions on water conservation, river basin management and the developmental significance of SUMP.
Deputy Commissioner of Siang, Tayi Taggu, attended all four sessions and interacted with participants throughout the programme.
Addressing the concluding session, he stressed the need for sustainable management of water resources and highlighted the importance of informed and transparent public participation in the proposed multipurpose project.
District Planning Officer (DPO) Tapik Komut served as a key resource person across all four sessions, emphasising the role of community awareness in the project and, together with officials from NHPC, guided participants on water conservation and river basin management.
NHPC Group Senior Manager (GSM) TabomTaggu delivered a detailed presentation on river management, water conservation, benefits of the project and SUMP at each of the four sessions.
The programme also featured contributions from Assistant Engineer (Civil) Tanom Tatak of the Department of Hydro Power Development, who addressed the session for teachers, and District Medical Officer Dr. Johny Darang, who participated in the orientation programme for frontline health workers.
The first session was attended by approximately 60 participants and aimed at helping schools serve as effective platforms for sharing accurate information about SUMP's purpose, water resource management practices, and regional development goals.
Another session involving nearly 60 CDPOs and Anganwadi workers explored the role of grassroots institutions in spreading awareness among local communities.
Around 50 ANM workers, Health Assistants and ASHAs attended in a session designed to equip frontline health workers with accurate knowledge so they could help local families understand how water management contributes to regional development.
The concluding session brought together approximately 70 departmental officers and staff, consistent with the earlier sessions and ensuring uniform, transparent messaging on the project across all four days.
As part of the programme, participants watched seven informational videos on SUMP and water management, while booklets containing frequently asked questions and details of the project's expected benefits were distributed to facilitate better public understanding.
Officials said the awareness programme was aimed to build a clear understanding of SUMP as a project of national importance, while covering water resource management, conservation techniques and the broader developmental benefits the project is expected to bring to the region.
They added that the four-day series mark a significant step toward building stronger, transparent, and long-term partnerships between the SUMP project and the communities the proposed project will serve.