40 CHINESE DAMS: Concerned Assam to seek Centre’s intervention

40 CHINESE DAMS & RESERVOIRS

Construction works on Siang & upper stretches of Brahmaputra

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: Following the submission of a document — indicating construction of 40 dams and reservoirs by China on the upper stretches of the Brahmaputra particularly the Siang and its tributaries — by BJP MLA Ashok Singhal to the Speaker of Assam Legislative Assembly on the third day of the Budget session on Wednesday, Water Resources Minister Keshab Mahanta said that the State government is concerned over the issue. The Minister further told the House that he will discuss the matter with Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal so that it can be taken up with the Centre for further discussion with the Chinese authorities as the issue has international ramifications.

The Siang and its tributaries constitute the prime source of the Brahmaputra River in Assam.

Earlier moving the topic, BJP MLA Ashok Singhal had said, “China has many more dams than all the other nations of the world taken together. In 1958, China adopted a policy to divert water from the southern region to the northern areas of the nation. As a result, China started constructing 40 dams and reservoirs over the Chinese portions of the Siang and its tributaries there. Once these projects are completed, there will be no water in the Brahmaputra in Assam. This will endanger the Assamese civilization.”

He further said, “Though China has been making use of the hydel power of the river there, we have failed to make the optimum use of this essential natural resource.

“The turbid water on the Siang River in Arunachal Pradesh during February this year also may be due to some construction works carried out by China on the upper reaches of the river within their country. Such works are generally undertaken during the post-monsoon season.”

MLA Singhal also stated that “a team of Assam government should visit China for ground-level check of the Chinese construction works on the upper streams of both the rivers in that country.” Giving his reply, Water Resources Minister Keshab Mahanta said that “it would not be possible now owing to the coronavirus effect there.”

The Minister added, “We are concerned over the issue. The Indian portion of the Siang and the Brahmaputra stretches for 900 km. However, in China and Tibet, the watercourse of the Siang is up to 1,600 km. However, we do not have any control over that long stretch of the Brahmaputra in China. In 2017 also, turbid water was reported in the Siang. I visited the point at Tuting in Arunachal Pradesh where the Siang enters India and had the collected river water samples tested in a laboratory. The lab results did not indicate any poisonous chemical in the turbid Siang water samples.

“A matter of concern then was that China had not shared any data on the inter-nation river water with India. Chief Minister Sonowal took up the matter with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. I also took up the matter with the then External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj. We urged the Union government to ensure that China would share water data with India.

“The Union government discussed the necessity of river water data sharing with the Chinese External Affairs Minister during the latter’s visit to Delhi on December 11, 2017. Since then, the Chinese government has been sharing river-water data with the Central Water Commission, Government of India; and the Commission shares the information with the State governments concerned.

“In February this year also, there were reports of the Siang water again turning turbid. Water samples were collected from Tuting and selected spots in upper Assam. Laboratory testing of these samples did indicate turbidity but it was found to be within the permissible limits. Satellite images showed that landslides had occurred in the upper stretches of the Siang.

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