Maksam Tayeng

PASIGHAT, Feb 23: The puzzle surrounding the mysterious discolouration of the mighty Siang river has revisited this year too with a marked change from the usual clear to a muddy or cement-mixed type.
Siang, as it is known in Arunachal Pradesh and as Brahmaputra in Assam was in the news in 2017 due to this unusual phenomenon which baffled scientists triggering many theories. Even if the exact reasons of this colour change is yet to be known comprehensively, the increased mud and silt content has led to the rise of river bed bringing disturbing negative consequences. There is now a massive erosion in both the banks of the Siang in the flood plains of East Siang district and in Assam bringing fear of large scale destruction of fishes and other aquatic life this time also, just as it happened two years back.
It can be recalled that for want of exact scientifically-backed explanations, a multiple number of presumptions did the rounds when it was first noticed. At first instance, the sudden discolouration was attributed to the excavation works then being carried out by China in their Tibetan region and the associated diversion attempt of Siang towards their desert areas. Along with this, it was also presumed that increased mud content was due to a massive landslide in Tibet at the upper ridges of Siang near Indo-China border where a blockade was reported with formation of a natural lake-like huge dam which later overflowed causing untold miseries to the downstream populations of Arunachal Pradesh and Assam settled along the banks. The matter was taken up in parliament by then Lok Sabha MP and present MLA 37th Pasighat West, Ninong Ering to apprise the central government highlighting the need to take urgent remedial actions. Later, state government led by Pema Khandu also appealed the central government to visit the ground zero at China to ascertain the exact reason. Brahmaputra Board officials were also supposed to visit the location(s) of flood affected by unusual high tides and massive soil erosion in East Siang. But serious heed wasn’t paid and neither the officials from central government nor Brahmaputra Board visited the sites to ascertain the situation, and as such, no plan of action to meet future exigencies such as loss of lives and properties was prepared. And with no such initiatives with regard to pre-flood preparedness for Siang, the flood affected inhabitants of Siang or Brahmaputra valley in both Arunachal and Assam will now have to stay alert and take precautions.
Meanwhile, officials of the District Disaster Management Office, East Siang, Pasighat led by Obang Apum who were seen monitoring the discolouration confirmed this scribe that colour has changed again like previous years, but as on Sunday, there was no rise of water level. District Disaster Management Officer G. Tsumo also informed that the department is monitoring the situation and colour had become comparatively clearer today.

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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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