SHILLONG, July 2 � Union DoNER Minister Bijoy Krishna Handique today allayed fears over the Chinese plans to build dams on the Brahmaputra pointing that the neighbouring country had never said it would divert the water from the river, reports PTI.
�How do you know they plan to divert the Brahmaputra water? They never said it. I don�t think there is any reason why we should disbelieve them,� Handique said in response to queries by reporters here.
He said �even in 1990, they had a proposal to divert the flow of the Brahmaputra, but that never happened.�
Handique claimed �that there were two sets of opinion in this regard and according to some hydrological experts, it (diversion) is neither feasible nor viable.�
�Recently, they (China) have stated that the project will be a run-of-the-river project. They have shared the information with the government of India,� he said.
Handique, however, was cautious saying, �since there is no water sharing agreement there is one difficulty for us. We cannot go for joint verification or inspection.�
�I personally feel that is a lacuna,� he said.
�Whatever is acceptable to us we will not object. But if there is anything objectionable, we will definitely protest. There is a constant communication between the External Affairs Ministry and Beijing,� Handique added.
