Arunachal Pradesh | China using Siang as weapon to destroy the region, says Adi elders

ITANAGAR | September 17, 2018:

On Sunday, the Adi Baane Kebang, the apex and appellate body of the Adis, led by its secretary general Bodong Yirang and other officials visited flood-hit villages under Mebo subdivision in East Siang district.

The team inspected Sigar, Raling, Borguli and Namsing villages and interacted with the residents led by the gaonburahs.

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The team, while inspecting the river bank where the villagers of Borguli, with traditional and local means, have diverted the river current to minimize massive erosion, appreciated the collective effort of the villagers and advised them to stay united in tackling this natural disaster.

At Seram village, the team appreciated the efforts of the residents for carrying out a similar programme.

Several hectares of land, including agricultural fields, were eroded away at Namsing village. The visiting team interacted with the villagers and assured them that they would pursue the matter of taming of the Siang with the state and central government.

Later, while summing up the day-long tour of the affected villages, Yirang said the Siang has caused massive destruction of the Adi villages in lower Mebo and some residents are being forced to shift their village.

He accused China of using the Siang (Tsangpo in Tibet) to devastate this part of India which is a serious concern that New Delhi needs to deal with firmly.

"This is now an international issue. China is using the Siang as a weapon to destroy and devastate these regions of Siang and Brahmaputra basin of both Arunachal Pradesh and Assam where millions of people are settled. Last year the Siang turned muddy and turbid which is said to have led to the reduction in the depth of the river bed because of excessive siltation. The depth of the river, which once was 15-17m, is now below 10m because of which unusual high tides and waves take place thereby leading to spreading of Siang river all around causing large-scale soil erosion," Yirang said.

The association has appealed to the Centre to sanction a huge flood control project in the region under the initiative of look east policy.

Source: The Telegraph