Polluting Siang-Brahmaputra : Congress MP Ninong Ering reacts over Union minister’s statement

The Union minister 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, Ninong Ering said 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.

Ering urged the Union minister to take up the matter very seriously and said that it concerns the lifeline of the people of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam and Bangladesh also.

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.

In his letter sent to the PM on November 25 last, Ninong Ering said that, a few months back a report which was denied by the Chinese government is regard to the diverting a channel over Tsangpo (Siang/Brahmaputra) in Tibet has become an issue of concern.

“After the report the river Siang has become muddy and slushy and it is already two months that, the river Siang is black contaminated. It is unusual phenomena and reason for the river dirty is unknown. I have already put questions and also under rule 377 to be discussed in the parliament but as it was not in session. I am requesting you to use your good office to seek the reason of the river being muddy in this season where the water is crystal clear. A 600 km long tunnel is already started in the Yunnan province as a rehearsal,” Ninong Ering said in his letter.

The Arunachal Pradesh MP further said that, there is no other reason that, the mighty Siang river tributary of Brahmaputra should be dirty in the month of November, but has occurred due to heavy land excavation in the Chinese side which has to be verified by an international team to ascertain the international treaty.

“When I saw the water, it looks like cement mixed water. It is a very serious issue and the Centre must to take it seriously,” the Arunachal Pradesh MP said.

Ninong Ering said that, a large scale of fish had died in the Siang river in recent times and he got it confirmed from Tuting and Geling areas in Upper Siang district close to China border.

Meanwhile, Chinese media had recently refuted the country’s role in polluting Siang river in Arunachal and again claimed that Arunachal Pradesh is a part of China’s Sothern Tibet region.

On the other hand, Assam government also concerned over the issue of polluting Brahmaputra river.

Assam finance minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday said that, the state government is very concerned over the serious issue and the state government will raise the issue with the centre.

(Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath)