GUWAHATI, March 5 � The Government of Assam is concerned about the possible impacts of China�s action of constructing dams on the river Brahmaputra and the matter has already been taken up with the Government of India. This was disclosed by Water Resources Minister Rajiv Lochan Pegu in response to a call attention motion by Anjan Dutta (Cong) in the State Assembly today.
There are serious apprehensions that Assam may face the consequences of construction of dams on the Brahmaputra in China. He said that China has already started construction of a 510MW project on the Brahmaputra and immediately after the news of construction of three more dams came to the notice of the State Government, the Chief Minister immediately wrote to the Prime Minister so that the Government of India can take up the matter with China. The Prime Minister assured that the Government of India has taken serious note of the matter.
The Minister said that the State Government has also constituted a committee headed by Dr Dulal Goswami to study the possible impacts of construction of dams on the Brahmaputra and the committee is yet to submit its report. He also admitted that the term of the agreement between India and China on sharing of water data would expire in June and hoped that the same would be extended.
Earlier, raising the issue, Anjan Dutta said that the State Government should take serious note of the issue and take up the matter with the Government of India. He said that the Members of Parliament from Assam should also take up the matter with the Centre. He pointed out that release of excess water from the Kurishu dam project in Bhutan caused havoc in lower Assam and the consequences of the Chinese dams can be much worse for Assam.
ST status: Meanwhile, Pegu, who is also in charge of the Department of Welfare of Plain Tribes and Backward Classes, informed the State Assembly that the Government of India has not rejected the demand for the status of Scheduled Tribes to six tribes of the state.
Pegu said that the State Government has submitted the ethnographic report sought by the Centre and the same is under scrutiny of the Registrar General of India. After scrutiny by the RGI, the matter would be examined by the National Commission for ST.
Earlier, raising the issue, Abdur Rahim Khan (AIUDF) said that an all party team of the House should visit Delhi to put pressure on the Centre for granting ST status to six tribes.
