Villagers said officials were now trying to hunt down the protest leaders.
"They said that they will arrest those who led the protests, those who are responsible," said a farmer from Dashu village who identified herself only as Wang.
Another resident surnamed Dong from the same village said officials had made a television appeal to urge people to turn themselves in.
"They said those who don't turn themselves in will be arrested," she said.
Local officials, led by Sichuan Provincial Party Committee Vice Secretary Li Chongxi, met with villagers Monday to listen to their requests, Sichuan newspaper Ya'an Daily said.
Li was quoted as saying that the Pubugou hydroelectric project -- temporarily suspended due to the protests -- must go ahead and people who incited the protests must be punished to ensure social stability.
But residents remained defiant and said unless they receive more reasonable compensation, they will take to the streets again.
They said officials had visited several villages to admonish and calm down residents but have not yet offered new conditions for compensation payments.
"The riot has died down, but this is only temporary. We have to go out there again because the compensation is just too low. How can we make a living like this?" Peng said.
Villagers said they had been offered between 180 and 320 yuan (US$21 and US$38) per mu (0.0667 hectares) of land which they say is not enough to make up for the annual income of 7,000 yuan from each mu they make from growing wheat, turnip and beans.
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The lands of some 100,000 farmers in 40 townships spread throughout three counties are expected to submerged by the dam project. Up to one million farmers, many unhappy about their future prospects, are expected to be relocated to make way for the Yangtze's Three Gorges Dam, when the world's biggest hydroelectric project is fully completed by 2009.
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