From Our Correspondent
Guwahati: In view of the perennial and crippling flood and erosion problem faced by Assam, chief minister Tarun Gogoi on Thursday vouched for an international river authority comprising India, China, Bangladesh, Bhutan and Nepal to set up coordination to tackle the common challenges posed by the river systems these countries share, especially the mighty Brahmaputra River.
Speaking in response to a Call Attention Motion in Assam Assembly on Thursday on media reports on plausible adverse impact on Assam due to the dams being constructed on the upstream of Brahmaputra River in Tibet region, Gogoi said he had already spoken to the Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh about the necessity of such an authority or body for coordinated efforts to tame the rivers causing trouble in the region.
Regarding the proposed and under-construction dams in neighbouring Arunachal Pradesh, Gogoi said his government was concerned for the safety of its people but stated that Arunachal Pradesh should not get the impression that Assam was opposed to each and every dam in being constricted in Arunachal Pradesh.
“The message should not go that we are against any dam in Arunachal Pradesh. We will also need the power generated there and we must also remember that the first damage by these dams will be caused there,” he said, adding, “We will, of course, have to ensure the safety of the downstream areas in our state.”
On the Lower Subansiri Hydel Power Project of the NHPC in Arunachal Pradesh which has faced stiff opposition from anti-dam activists, Gogoi said Assam hah been assured of no negative impact. He said, in fact, Assam government was pressing for more power allocation from the project once it gets operational.
Gogoi said last month’s tragedy in Uttarakhand has further made the governments to look into all the safety aspects even more minutely. Gogoi stressed on the need for a river research institute to study and understand the river systems better and take corrective measures on time and pointed out that neighbouring Bangladesh which faces similar problems of flood and erosion by the Brahmaputra as Assam, was well ahead of India in river research.
