The Nah Welfare Society (NWS) and the Mra Welfare Society (MWS) have jointly served an ultimatum to the government and the project implementing agency, demanding an immediate halt to all ongoing activities relating to the Oju hydropower project over the Subansiri river in the Taksing-Limeking area in Upper Subansiri district until compensation is disbursed to all affected landowners. Addressing a joint press conference on 9 July, the two organisations stated that the landowners and local communities have been extending their full cooperation to the government and the project developer for the past 15 years. However, the prolonged delay in project execution and the non-payment of compensation have caused serious inconvenience and frustration among the affected people.
NWS president Keru Chadar said that the landowners had willingly handed over their land to the project developer, Navayuga Company, a few years ago in the larger interest of development. He warned that if compensation is not paid by 30 August, the affected people would be compelled to launch a series of democratic protests. He further cautioned that any law-and-order situation arising from the authorities’ failure to respond to the ultimatum would be the responsibility of the government and the executing agency.
Limeking-Taksing ZPM Chatung Mra also questioned why compensation has not yet been released, despite the completion of surveys and assessment of the affected land and properties. The societies informed that several representations have already been submitted to the deputy commissioner, expressing concern over the delay in compensation disbursement. They also claimed that the matter had been repeatedly brought to the notice of the executing company, but no positive response has been received so far.
The organisations further stated that on 23 June, the societies requested the divisional forest officer to withhold the issuance of all no objection certificates (NOCs) and forest clearances related to the project until the assessment committee’s report is submitted and compensation is paid to the affected landowners. According to the societies, a committee was constituted by the Upper Subansiri deputy commissioner on 23 October, 2025 to conduct a detailed ground survey and assess land, crops and other properties likely to be affected by the Oju Hydropower Project. The second phase of the survey commenced on 11 March, 2026, receiving overwhelming cooperation from stakeholders and affected residents.
The organisations said they had appealed to the authorities to submit the assessment report to the state government at the earliest, preferably before the first week of July, but alleged that no action has been taken. Both societies demanded an immediate suspension of all activities related to the Oju hydropower project in the Taksing-Limeking area until compensation is fully disbursed. They warned that failure to address their demand would leave them with no option but to intensify democratic agitations.
