Guwahati: Disappointed by Arunachal Pradesh’s continuous opposition in setting up the North East Water Resources Authority (NEWRA), Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on Wednesday said his government has decided to drop the proposal for the regional water body.
The state government will now take steps to revamp the ailing Brahmaputra Board, he said, a day after meeting his Arunachal Pradesh counterpart Nabam Tuki here. Tuki has reportedly expressed his government’s reservation about having the NEWRA.
“How can we wait so much? We have already written to the centre to put pressure on the neighbouring state over setting up of the regional water body. However, they are continuing with their reservations against it and we have no other option but to revamp the Brahmaputra Board,” said Gogoi.
The NEWRA was the brainchild of Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh.
“I’ll propose to the centre to add some more provisions and authority to the Brahmaputra Board so that it can be a substitute of the NEWRA,” said the chief minister while adding that he is going to write to the central government soon over the issue.
Assam has been supporting and demanding setting up of the NEWRA as it wants all the hydro power projects coming up in the neighbouring state to be regulated by a single authority.
In sharp contrast to Assam’s view, Arunachal Pradesh is opposed to any such regulatory authority as it feels the body might curtail the state’s sole rights over its water resources.
Gogoi had recently said the state government was mooting moving the inter-state water disputes tribunal on the issue. (Agencies)