Ering, AAPSU urge Centre to raise issue with neighbour

ES Reporter 

PASIGHAT, Apr 4: Of late, what has now become an annual occurrence, over the last few weeks the waters of Siang river has turned dark and murky losing its crystal-clear appearance, leading to a growing concern of Chinese attempts to construct a dam and divert waters before it enters India.
Officials from the Central Water Commission based at Tuting also confirmed the sudden turbidity of Siang. Since March 25, the turbidity of the Siang is changing but the water level is constant, the officials informed while expressing apprehension that there could be some construction upstream. 
“For the last ten days the water is getting polluted and it is not a new happening as in the last few years similar cases of pollution were reported in the Siang,” Congress MLA from Pasighat (West) Ninong Ering said. The legislator has been raising the issue on various occasions with both the state and central governments seeking stringent steps.
“Chinese are claiming that blackening of the river is due to an earthquake but the turbidity of the river is getting higher every day that proves that some kind of construction is going on upstream. If the Chinese are successful in making the dam then it will really be a matter of concern for the downstream and the Chinese will be using it as a 'Water Bomb',” Ering cautioned. I blame both the NDA and UPA governments for not taking strong measures and when it comes to China and its interference in Arunachal Pradesh, Central government always  keeps  mum, whereas  they are always at the forefront to counter Pakistan, Ering said while reiterating that the Central government needs to take more bold steps against China.
 The state's apex student body, the All Arunachal Pradesh Students’ Union (AAPSU) has also flagged a similar concern.
“We are not only concerned about Siang but about all rivers emanating from China. AAPSU and the North East Students’ Organization (NESO) had jointly submitted a representation on the same issue to the then Home Minister Rajnath Singh,” AAPSU General Secretary Tobom Dai said. He further added that the turbidity in Siang has confirmed that there is some activity going on in the upstream and the blackening is due to human intervention. “As the altered conditions in the Siang river are not new, Government of India should seriously pursue this matter with its Chinese counterpart and take bold steps as soon as possible,” Dai asserted.
Some three years back Siang’s volume suddenly increased, that too before monsoon and some Chinese equipment were also recovered from the banks, Dai recalled.

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Kenter Joya Riba

(Managing Editor)
      She is a graduate in Science with post graduation in Sociology from University of Pune. She has been in the media industry for nearly a decade. Before turning to print business, she has been associated with radio and television.
Email: kenterjoyaz@easternsentinel.in / editoreasternsentinel@gmail.com
Phone: 0360-2212313

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