GUWAHATI, Aug 18 � The Arunachal Citizens� Right (ARC), a civil liberties organization of Arunachal Pradesh has expressed serious concern over the decision of the Government of India to construct large storage dam projects on the Subansiri, Siang and Lohit rivers � the three major tributaries of the Brahmaputra. The decision is �unilateral� and is bound to reduce the people of Arunachal Pradesh into �sacrificial lambs,� said the organisation.
It has called upon the Centre to immediately explore the possibility of a joint discussion with China on the issue of riparian rights and water sharing of rivers which flow through both the countries.
ARC chairperson Bamang Tago said in a statement mailed to this newspaper, that the above move of the Government of India (GoI) is sought to be justified as a strategy to counter China�s proposed dams on the Tsangpo, the Tibetan part of the Brahmaputra. The argument of the GoI is that it wants to prevent diversion of the Brahmaputra water by the Chinese authorities by establishing its first user rights as a riparian country with all such storage dams.
The above move is an affront to the people of Arunachal Pradesh who have been opposing mega dam projects on the rivers like Subansiri, Siang and Dibang inside their State. They are now sought to be made pawns by the GoI in its geo-political relations with China.
Again, the statement of Union Environment and Forest Minister Jairam Ramesh that the clearance of such projects would be put on the fast track is also equally disturbing. The Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) Notification, 2006 issued under the Environment Protection Act, 1986, does not provide for any fast track clearance. Such procedure of clearance means that such projects will be cleared without taking into account the results of the public hearing and the environment impact assessment of such projects.
Therefore, a fast track clearance would mean violation of its own notification and legislation by the GoI in the Ministry of Environment and Forests.
On the issue of riparian rights, the people of Arunachal Pradesh will definitely stand by GoI. But, to facilitate that role of the Arunachal people, the GoI should recognise the genuine concerns of the people of Arunachal Pradesh and also of the people Assam on the issue of dams, etc, said the ARC.
