The 12-hour bandh called by the People’s Rights Action Committee (PRAC) across the Itanagar Capital Region (ICR) on Wednesday passed off peacefully, with normal life partially affected as commercial establishments remained largely closed from 5 AM to 5 PM. PRAC chairman Takam Sonia announced the committee’s decision to call off further agitation following an official communication from the state government expressing willingness to hold structured discussions regarding their charter of demands, with a high-level meeting scheduled for November 5. The committee had initiated the shutdown to press for the unconditional release of individuals detained during demonstrations against the proposed Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP), alongside crucial civic grievances touching on healthcare services and the deteriorated condition of the Naharlagun-Banderdewa stretch of National Highway-415. Addressing the SUMP dispute, Sonia noted that the Siang Indigenous Farmers Forum (SIFF) had received a formal proposal for dialogue from government representatives, confirming that PRAC had no objection to the talks but would resume full support for SIFF should discussions fail to yield results or secure the detainees’ release. PRAC’s broader charter of demands includes the complete withdrawal of security forces deployed for SUMP survey operations, the immediate revocation of suspension orders issued against local Gaon Burahs, the suspension of ongoing project survey activities, the operationalization of the Drug Testing Laboratory, and comprehensive regulatory reforms across the pharmacy sector. Although the district administration had declared the bandh illegal under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) and deployed heightened security around sensitive government installations—including the Civil Secretariat and the Lok Bhavan—police confirmed that no major law-and-order incidents or arrests occurred. Itanagar SP Jummar Basar and Naharlagun SP Dr Nyelam Nega confirmed that the situation remained under control, noting that security forces successfully dispersed a group of around 30 protesters marching from Bage Tinali near Nirjuli toward IG Park in the morning without any escalation. While public movement and business activities experienced partial disruption, essential service vehicles and subdued traffic continued to operate throughout the day. With the bandh now officially called off, public attention turns to the November 5 government dialogue, which holds the key to resolving infrastructure, healthcare, and environmental grievances across the region.
