GUWAHATI, Dec 12 � The argument that if the main stream of the Brahmaputra and its Himalayan tributaries are not dammed in the north-eastern region of the country, China would get the prime right over the mighty river and its northern tributaries to dam them and to divert their courses, is simply a �false argument�.
This is the assertion made by noted expert on dams and power economy and a former Secretary of the Union Water Resources Ministry Ramaswami R Iyer. He was delivering a public lecture on �Water Conflicts, Equity and Sustainability� at the Vivekananda Kendra Institute of Culture here this evening.
He argued that the water needs of China are such that it is going to execute its east-west projects soon. But India should ensure that its interests are protected. China is displaying a cooperating attitude, he said.
Iyer also stressed on the cumulative impact assessment studies of the proposed NE hydel projects, stating that the cumulative impact of all the proposed projects would be much higher on the region�s ecology, social matrix, etc.
Iyer claimed that it is not true that hydel power is the core of power economy. There are other alternatives, like the non-conventional energy, the diversified projects instead of the centralized ones, etc. One should be extremely careful in matters of damming the rivers, he said. The hydropower plants also emit green house gases and changes the characters of the rivers. Hydropower is not totally benign, he said.
Regretting that environmental impacts of the river projects in India are not studied properly, he said that he has serious reservations on compensatory afforestation and catchments treatment projects. All these projects affect the people, he said.
The rejection of the report of the World Commission on Dams by the Union Government regrettably completed the divide within the people of the country in matters of river projects. However, he said the Government of India is now undertaking a review of its National Water Policy.
The former Water Resources Secretary maintained that equity and sustainability should override all development concerns of the country.
In the panel discussion on �Water Resources of North East India: Science, Management, People, Conflict and Politics�, panelist Prof Dulal Goswami, Iyer, Prof S Janakarajan, Sripad Dharmadhikary and KJ Joy were by and large of the opinion that basically the market forces would be made the owners of the NE rivers. Dam owners will determine the flow of the rivers as per the demand of the market and not as per the demand of the riparian people, they observed.
They also maintained that the issues raised by the NE people in connection with the proposed hydel projects should be heard by the rest of the country.
The lecture was organized by the Forum for Policy Dialogue on Water Conflicts in India and Aaranyak.
