NEW DELHI, March 14 - India today confirmed that China has not provided the flood season hydrological data of the Brahmaputra and Sutlej rivers during 2017. The issue has been taken up with the Chinese authorities who said that the non-provision of data was due to technical reasons, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said in the Parliament.
India continues to carefully monitor the water flow in trans-border rivers, including the Brahmaputra and Sutlej, for early detection of any abnormality so that corrective and preventive measures are taken to safeguard livelihood of the people in these regions, the minister said.
Replying to a Lok Sabha question by Arunachal East MP Ninong Ering, the minister said that under existing bilateral memorandums of understanding, China provides India with the hydrological information of the Brahmaputra (Yarlung Zangbo) and Sutlej (Langqen Zangbo) during the flood seasons.
Various issues relating to trans-border rivers are discussed with China under the ambit of an institutionalised expert level mechanism, which was established in 2006, as well as through diplomatic channels. �We intend to remain engaged with China on the issue of trans-border rivers to safeguard our interests,� Swaraj said.
India is again likely to take up the issue of sharing of hydrological data of the Brahmaputra and Sutlej rivers, when Swaraj meets her Chinese counterpart next month. Swaraj will travel to China next month to take part in the regional Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) foreign ministerial meeting that will set the stage for a summit-level meet among leaders of the grouping in June.
