NEW DELHI, March 10 � Faced with the criticism over its functioning, the Government of India proposes to amend the existing Brahmaputra Board Act 1980. The proposed amendments include expansion of the Board by including West Bengal, Minister of State for Water Resources Vincent H Pala said in a Lok Sabha reply.
The Union Government�s move came even as Pala confirmed that the flows in Brahmaputra river would be affected if China diverts water to some other basins.
The proposed amendments being brought in as part of the exercise to restructure the Board to include in its expansion, chairman, three chief engineers, one director, North Eastern Hydraulic and Allied Research Institute (NEHARI), secretary of the Board and the Financial Advisor to the Board, a member each representing the governments of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, Tripura and West Bengal and member of the North Eastern Council (NEC), Pala said in reply to an unstarred question by Paban Singh Ghatowar and Badruddin Ajmal.
The revamped Board would also include members each representing the Ministries of Agriculture, Water Resources, Shipping, Finance, Power, Road Transport and Highways and Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER).
Pala in reply to a question, last week had stated that Brahmaputra Board was not engaged in any activities in West Bengal, though it is currently undertaking a study of the Teesta River.
The Minister further stated that Brahmaputra Board has not conducted any training programme on flood control management and river training. Pala also denied that North Eastern States have not been represented for conducting any training outside the region.
Meanwhile, in reply to a separate question on whether flow of Brahmaputra river would be affected by building of hydro power projects by China, Pala said India does not have the details of Chinese projects.
�However, the flows in Brahmaputra river before entering Indian side would be affected if China diverts water to some other basins,� the Minister said. In case the water is discharged back into the main river, the affect on flows may be negligible, he added.
The Government of India keeps a constant watch on all developments in China having bearing on the country�s interest and takes necessary measures to protect them, he assured.
Following reports in the media, the Government of India took up the issue with Beijing and the Chinese side �categorically denied� any plan for a large scale diversion project on the Brahmaputra river. An expert committee on trans-border rivers was assigned to look into it.