The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has cancelled a proposed $434 million loan to the Government of Assam for the Karbi Anglong solar power project, following widespread protests and concerns about displacement, land rights, and environmental impact.
The announcement was made on Wednesday during a press conference at the Guwahati Press Club by representatives from the Joint Land Struggles Committee, Assam, and the Karbi Anglong Solar Power Project Affected People’s Rights Committee, the two groups leading the opposition.
Protest leaders indicated that the ADB withdrew its support after receiving photographic evidence and drone footage during a meeting in Milan, Italy, which contradicted claims made by the state government regarding the project site. Santanu Borthakur, an advocate at the Gauhati High Court, stated,
“The government told ADB that the area was barren and sparsely populated, with only 1,000–1,400 people facing eviction. In reality, nearly 20,000 people-indigenous Karbis, Rengma Nagas, Nepalis, Assamese, and Adivasis-were at risk of displacement.”
Additionally, activist Pranab Doley highlighted that the proposed project site is part of an elephant corridor, raising significant ecological concerns that were communicated to the ADB. Although the state government had promised development and job creation through the solar initiative, skepticism remains among the protesters.
Bikram Hanse from the People’s Rights Committee noted, “There are already departments under the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC) responsible for local employment. But in previous appointments, only 62 out of 1,345 posts were given to tribal individuals. The claim of job creation is a smokescreen-they’re trying to grab our land through the back door.”
Doley also warned of the long-term financial implications if the loan had been approved. “The project would not only have devastated the environment and displaced thousands, but it would also have burdened future generations with debt,” he stated.
The groups have accused KAAC Chief Executive Member Tuliram Ronghang of violating the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution by allocating tribal land to an external entity, advocating instead for sustainable development that respects indigenous rights.
“We are not against development-we are against destruction,” Doley said, urging the government to reconsider its approach to growth and investment in tribal regions. The government has yet to respond to these developments.
