Sudden change in Siang-Brahmaputra : Assam govt. sends water quality report to Centre after finding highest NTU content in water samples

 The Assam Water Resources department recently sent a report on water quality of river Siang (Brahmaputra) to the Water Resources ministry and stated that, the water is found to be highly turbid.

“Such phenomenon is very much unusual during this part of the season. Similar phenomenon has also known to be observed in Arunachal Pradesh. It is apprehended that there may be un-usual natural calamity or an artificial intervention might have taken place or continuing in the upper catchment of Brahmaputra in Tibet region,” the report said.

Assam Water Resources department secretary RP Das sent the report (No-WR(C)296/17/5) on Dec 5 last to the secretary of Ministry of Water Resources.

Apart from the Assam government report, a group of professors of the Civil Engineering department of Jorhat Engineering College had also recently conducted an examination on water quality of Brahmaputra river and found that, the Nephelometric Turbidity Unit (NTU) content of the water sample at Maijan ghat was 295 and the water sample at Bogibeel ghat was 404.

“The acceptable range of NTU for drinking water is maximum 5, but it is very high and it is very dangerous for human and also animals,” Dr PK Khaund, head of Civil Engineering department of Jorhat Engineering College said.

Earlier, the state Public Health Engineering department has tested few samples at Tezpur based District Level Laboratory and found that the NTU content of the water sample was 482.

Apart from NTU, the iron content was recorded at 1.65 mg/litre, which was beyond the permissible limits.

On the other hand, Union Minister for State in Ministry of Home, Kiren Rijiju on Friday tweeted that, the Government of India has been continuously tracking and assessing the Siang (Brahmaputra) river flowing pattern from the day one.

“The concerns of the people are genuine. The cause of water becoming muddy and black beyond McMahon line is being ascertained,” Rijiju said in his tweet.

“Why are some people burning my effigy in Assam? Brahmaputra (Siang) is a sacred river for us. We will inform and make official statement only after getting accurate information of the cause from across the border,” Rijiju said in another tweet.

While the people of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh feared after sudden change in water quality of Siang river in Arunachal Pradesh and Brahmaputra in Assam become dirty and muddy, Union Minister of State in Ministry of Water Resources Arjun Ram Meghwal recently said that a preliminary study has found that the water of Siang and Brahmaputra are turning black due to a recent earthquake in the Tibetan region.

Reacted over the Union minister’s comment, Congress MP in Arunachal Pradesh Ninong Ering said that, the statement of the Union minister regarding the colour of the Siang river, the main tributary of Brahmaputra river which originates from Mansarovar flowing to the Tibet plateau known as Yarlung Tsangpo, could be a natural phenomenon is completely abused.

“During the winter, the river flows crystal clear and since I was a child, I have always seen this river deep blue during this season. This phenomenon hasn’t occurred in last 100 years, as stated by the senior local villagers. The construction of dams may not be very important to you (Arjun Ram Meghwal) as the North East may be of little concern to you. But the pollution of the river in the winter season where NTU permissible limit is 0.5. But as per the report by the Water Resources department has risen to 425 which is poisonous,” Ninong Ering said in his letter sent to the Union Water Resources minister.

The Congress Lok Sabha MP representing from Eastern Arunachal constituency further said that, the river is contaminated and all aquatic life in this river has been destroyed.

“It is also affecting the local livestock not only in Arunachal, but downstream Assam too, for which you (Arjun Ram Meghwal) may get reports soon. All the migratory birds, which were seen in this season in D Ering Wildlife Sanctuary, have not been seen this year,” Ninong Ering said.

Earlier, the Arunachal Pradesh MP had sent a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on November 25 and raised the issue.

Ninong Ering appealed the PM to raise the issue in international forum.

“The recent report said that, the Chinese government has constructed a 1000 km long tunnel – the world’s longest - to divert the Siang river (Tsangpo in Tibet) from Sangri in Sothern Tibet to the Taklamakan desert in Xinjiang is likely to be true though the Chinese government had denied it,” Ninong Ering said.

Apart from Ninong Ering, another Congress MP from Assam Gaurav Gogoi also sent a letter to the PM on December 5 and raised the issue.

 

(Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath)