NEW DELHI, March 1 � The Union Government on Thursday downplayed reports of Siang river drying up in Arunachal Pradesh, clarifying that India has verified Chinese claim that it was not diverting trans-border rivers.�
The clarification came on a day when Minister of External Affairs S. M. Krishna met Chinese Foreign Minister, Yang Jiechi.
Krishna told newsmen that the Ambassador to China, who has been apprised of the reports, will be looking into the reports that the Siang river originating from Tibet has suddenly dried up in Arunachal Pradesh allegedly due to dam construction by China, Krishna also referred to his statement in Parliament over China constructing a dam at Zangmuin, the middle reaches of Yarlung Tsango (as the Brahmaputra is called in Tibet) and said the satellite imagery of the site has only shown that it was a run-of-the-river hydro-electric project.�
On Thursday, Secretary (East) Gautam Bambawale briefing newsmen said that India and China had many exchanges including at the highest level on the issue. �The Chinese have assured us that it is not doing anything on the trans-border rivers whichwould hurt the lower riparian countries.�
�Our look at the picture is that what the Chinese have said is correct,� the Secretary said.��We have verified on our own and not depended on their version,� he added.�
Political adviser to the Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister, Tako Dabi, created quite a stir on the eve of the high-profile visit of the Chinese Foreign Minister, when he claimed that people of Pasighat town in East Siang district found that the water level of the river receded so much this evening that it almost dried up.�Dabi expressed his apprehension that China could have diverted the water of the river, which is known as Yarlong Tsangpo inTibet, or there could be some artificial blockade due to which this has happened.
