Skip to content Skip to navigation

Jana Jagriti calls to Save River Brahmaputra

By Daya Nath Singh |

China has constructed two reservoirs of 42 million cubic meter and 31 million cubic meter at Great Band area, which is 60-70 kms away from village Gogring in India, said Jana Jagriti chief, Ashok Anand Singhal. Addressing the media persons at Guwahati recently, Singhal refuted China’s claim that these water reservoirs are the result of landslides. He said, this is not a landslide, but it’s man made. He added that it is well known fact that water storage facilities are needed for power project. Now China is constructing four tunnels. Tunnel one will generate 16,000 MW, while other two tunnels are of 26,600MW (13300 MW) each and fourth tunnel will generate 2,400 MW of electricity. Tunnel one of 16,000 MW capacity is now almost ready for generation.


He further added that the Government of China is building a five star hotel in this area and had constructed a cantonment to keep one division of Army for its safety at Nyingehi, 16 kms away from Great Band at Brahmaputra. Five communication towers, a mini hydro power plant and two bridges on the river have been made for the Army in order to facilitate their co-operation. Anti-missile system and missile unit is also stationed here. Rail and road links up to Great Band has been constructed. This place has no population, so this rail and road infrastructure is to support 45,000 MW Hydro power project at Great Band on Brahmaputra.


He drew attention on the reports in the media that these tunnels are for water diversion, but such reports are not appropriate. Work is going on very swiftly on roads and rail links leading to Great Band. There is Nujiang river about 160 kms ahead of the place and China has a base of Air Force at Qamdo. No construction or other activities are going on in this direction. It is not possible to connect Mekong and Nujiang rivers at Great Band. In fact, the plateau is down stairs and it is a flood prone area of China, while the dry areas of China are on Mongolian borders and Central part, where they need water. Pumping is not possible from Great Band. He wondered that in fact the government is either unaware or want to conceal the facts that work is going on to construct 11 water storages, 2 canals and 5 dams and pumping stations ahead of Great Band, where the River Brahmaputra comes from. Virtually they are preparing a model like water wheels.


China’s projects are of two kinds- one for hydro power generation and the other is more ambitious kind, i.e. massive diversion project that envisages diverting the river’s water to the arid north. There is propaganda in the media that this project would be completed in 2050. This is true, but the water diversion from River Brahmaputra project, that is small part of south to north diversion project, would be completed in 2015. This anticipation is based on the speed of their work. This work is going on since 2008 and Government of India is silent on this issue.. The Chinese are not only blocking the water of Brahmaputra, but it also seems that they are planning to block the water or rivers Indus and Sutlej. In this process, they have constructed water reservoirs and two power projects there.


River Brahmaputra used to provide as many as 78.1BCM water in monsoon and 56.12 BCM in non-monsoon days to India, but now it provides only 60 percent during non-monsoon days and in monsoon days flow is reducing by 30 percent. When all dams and water storage facilities becomes functional, we will get only 20 percent water during non-monsoon period. Therefore, it’s necessary to save Brahmaputra in our own interest. He appealed to the media to pressurize the Central government to take up the matter with the Chinese premier Wen Jiabao when he visits India.

Comments

Y. P. Sharda's picture

Submitted by Y. P. Sharda on Sat, 11/12/2010 - 22:28
Certain things are not clear in this artcle.It is mentioned that four tunnels are under construction.Genaration of power requires water as well as head. It is not clers where such head is available along Tsang Po (Brahmaputra) upstream of Great bend.It is possible only if water is diverted away from the area towards Ne for a considerable. It is also felt that if it is known that four tunnels are under construction, their other details like location of power houses shold also be known. From this it can be found out whether the water is being diverted out of system or not. If ie is being done, then we have to change our present strategy of going for run of river schemes and plan storage dam where flood water can be stored and used during lean season in a regulated manner whether for power generation, irrigation or other consumptive requirements. We should not forget that Bangla Desh will suffer equally or more sand we should take them it confidence. in case of development of infrastructure in remote border areas, I do not know keep our eyes and ar not ready to learn anything from our neighbour. Y.P.Sharda

Pages

Add new comment

Assamese Translator

Assam Times seeks English to Assamese translators!
Join our volunteer team.
Email editor@assamtimes.org.

Random Stories

Indigenous tribes victims of Bangladeshi immigrants

8 Oct 2008 - 12:40am | Monjib Mochahari
Who can save the indigenous people in Assam? I wonder. Can the government of Assam, ever hear the cry of the indigenous people in Assam? ‘More than a lakh people in relief camps, more than...

World Food Day on Oct 16

7 Oct 2016 - 4:13pm | Mowsam Hazarika
The World Food Day will be celebrated on 16th October next with various programmes in Assam , along with the other parts of the world. The theme of World Food Day,16.10.2016 is - 'Climate is changing...
5 Pillars of Health: Transforming Your Life Through Simple Changes

5 Pillars of Health: Transforming Your Life Through Simple Changes

24 Dec 2024 - 10:53am | AT News
In our modern world, the rising prevalence of chronic diseases is a harsh reminder of the impact of lifestyle and diet choices on our well-being. As Lalit Kapoor insightfully puts it, “The human body...

Art workshop

24 Jul 2015 - 1:58pm | Benjamin Kaman
Chitrangkon Academy an Art School in Dudhnoi, Goalpara had conducted Summer Art and Craft Workshop in July 2014. 3D Art, a new form of art was introduced for the first time in Assam in this workshop...

Other Contents by Author

People react to CM’s outburst

Recent price hike in essential commodities has badly affected the common people throughout the country in general and the citizens of urban and rural areas of Assam are the most sufferers. Most of the consumer items are imported to this state from other states of the country, as the local production is not sufficient to cater the local needs. The state administration ‘lacking the will-power’ to establish industries, has to bring almost all manufactured goods to the state from outside. While entering into the state the carriers of such goods have to suffer a lot at the check gates established by the state government and managed by the state officials and the ‘brokers...

Who cares for Assam’s development?

With recent reports on developmental activities in Assam, it seems that nobody desires the betterment and development of the state. The state administration, student organization, political leaders, bureaucrats, officials and various growing mushroom-like organizations, all are running after money and ‘easy money’. Assam’s industry minister, Pradyut Bardoloi recently came out openly on certain student leaders, who demand money from the industrialists, who come here to invest their money for the development of the state. He cited an example of such demand from a cement factory at Dimoria, to be started by the Star Cement. an organization of repute. The government has...

Guwahati IGNOU into CBI trap, Chief likely to become scapegoat

The Central Investigation Bureau (CBI) has arrested an employee of the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), Guwahati Centre on alleged charges of financial scam worth about Rs.26 lakh. On Monday last the accused, Niranjan, was granted three days remand by CBI Special court. According to Senior CBI Chief, Hiren Nath, huge financial irregularities were reported in this prestigious institution and accordingly the CBI began investigation and detected a scam of Rs.25.65 lakh. The CBI has registered a case No. RC 0172010A0007, against the Director of IGNOU, Guwahati Centre, Dr Vardhini Bhattacharjee and the office assistant, Niranjan. The CBI has also seized all the records and...

UPFA warns against dividing indigenous people of Assam

United Peoples’ Federation of Assam (UPFA) has warned the State and the political parties to refrain from dividing the indigenous people of Assam by creating differences through their activities and behavior. Addressing the media persons on Thursday last at Guwahati Press Club, the UPFA President, Jebra Ram Muchahary, expressed concern over grilling of militant leaders, show casing of ceasefire and ‘so-called drama’ of mass surrender ceremonies and release of jailed leaders. He said that these exercises would not bring real peace in the state and demanded a meaningful settlement of all issues through process of negotiation fulfilling the genuine political aspirations of...

Anusuchit Jati Mahasabha demands CBI probe in Scheduled Cast department scam

Anusuchit Jati Mahasabha, Assam has alleged high-level corruption in the Directorate of Scheduled Caste, Assam. Addressing the media persons, in Guwahati, the President of the organization, Chandra Kamal Bhagawati said that his organization came to know through Right To Information (RTI) Act 2005 that the funds meant for the development of the scheduled caste and tribes were misused by the directorate officials. Therefore, the Mahasabha has demanded a CBI probe in this matter. He said that for getting some information under the RTI Act his organization filed a petition and the copy of the same was sent to the Chief Minister, Assam, Minister for development of SC/ST department and...

Forget Paresh Baruah factor, let the country’s law prevail

Assam has suffered a lot due to ongoing movement on ‘sovereignty’ by United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA), for last three decades. Thousands of innocent people including women, children, aged and media persons, have been killed during this period by the outfit activists and the security forces, due to this conflict. The State has been pushed backward and no development activities could be undertaken by the State government. The funds allotted by the Central Government to the State for development, were ‘misused’ by the State for ‘buying peace’ to the ministers, VIPs and the bureaucrats. Several efforts were done by eminent persons, organizations and...

Of late the Prime Minister thinks right

With increasing insurgency and deteriorating law and order situation in the country, the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, seems to have realized that the functioning of his government lacks some vital points, which should have been taken care of long before announcing the welfare schemes meant for the common people of the country. The benefits under almost all the welfare schemes have failed to reach the real beneficiaries, leading to a condition of mistrust over the functioning of the government machineries. Huge funds allotted by the Central Government to the States under developmental schemes ‘dried-up midway’ mysteriously. Bogus utilization certificates were and are...

Hire and fire continues in Assam’s media

Taking advantage of easily available MASS communication degree holders and serious unemployment problems in the state the media houses in Assam have got an opportunity to ‘hire and fire’ the media men, whimsically. The Fourth Estate in Assam is deprived of ‘fair deals’ despite the existing ‘The Working Journalists and other Newspaper Employees (Condition of Service) and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1955, enforced. Under this Act, the Central Government constituted Wage Board for suggesting salary and perks for journalists and other workers in media. This Act is confined and has its jurisdiction up to print media only. In the year 1985, the Bachhawat Wage...

Now Barak Valley demands separate economic development council

Being disillusioned by top-level corruption and slow pace of development in the Barak Valley, the southern-most part of the Assam state, the people have now raised demands for a separate economic development council for the region. Under the banner of Barak Valley Economic Development Council Demand Committee, the Central committee President, Kishore Kumar Bhattacharjee along with Karimganj unit chief, Jyotirmoy Das, Hailakandi unit chief, Mahibur Rahman Choudhury and Cachar unit chief, Nimai Sarma, submitted a memorandum to Assam Chief Minister, Tarun Gogoi in Guwahati during first week of this month demanding construction and improvement of roads under the area and early completion...

BJP detractors at cross-roads!

The BJP detractors, the four Members of Assam Legislative Assembly, who defied the party whip during recent Rajya Sabha elections and cast their votes in favor of the candidates of Congress Party, now seem to have facing a tough time to save their political career. They have around them a bitter atmosphere in their constituencies and their high dreams are shattered. Now they have the only alternative to join the Congress Party, for which they are trying their best. The Assembly elections in Assam next year may put them in difficult situation for various reasons. None of the political parties would like to have such ‘salable items’. It may be mentioned here that four...