Siang Upper Project proposed to counter China's dam: Chowna Mein

Itanagar, Mar 21: Arunachal Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein, during his two-day visit to Siang and Upper Siang districts, addressed the people on the significance of the proposed Siang Upper Multipurpose Project, emphasising its role in flood mitigation, environmental conservation, and national security.

Mein flagged concerns over China's $137 billion hydroelectric dam project over the Yarlung Tsangpo river in the upper reaches of the Siang river, which is known as the Brahmaputra in Assam, which aims to generate 60,000 MW of electricity. He highlighted experts' warning that if China built the dam over Yarlung Tsangpo and diverted or controlled the river's flow, it could dry up the Siang River, affecting aquatic life and millions of people in Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, and Bangladesh, who depend on the Brahmaputra River for irrigation and livelihoods.

Additionally, in case of any conflict between the two countries in the future, uncontrolled water release from the Chinese dam could lead to unprecedented floods in Arunachal Pradesh and Assam, causing loss of lives and properties.

The deputy chief minister said that the implications of such a massive project over the Tsangpo River by China cannot be ignored and asserted that in both cases, the downstream people would be adversely affected. To address these risks, the Centre has proposed the Siang Upper Multipurpose Project, a dam on the Siang River with a generation capacity of 11,000 MW of electricity, Mein stated.

By

Correspondent