'Cannot Trust China': BJP MLA Raises Concern Over Under-Construction Dam Near Arunachal

Itanagar: Senior BJP MLA Ninong Ering on Friday urged the Arunachal Government to take up the issue of the under-construction mega dam by China near its borders with the Centre. MLA said that the dam project poses a threat of a flood-like situation in the state. 

China is building a 60,000-megawatt dam on the Yarlung Tsangpo River in Medog, near the international border.

Tsangpo is known as Siang in Arunachal Pradesh and Brahmaputra in Assam. The main channel of this river is the Jamuna, which flows through Bangladesh before joining the Bay of Bengal.

Taking part in a motion of thanks to the governor's address in the Assembly, BJP MLA said, "We cannot trust our ‘neighbour’. You never know what they can do. They can either divert the entire river flow drying up our Siang or release water at once causing unprecedented floods havoc downstream." 

BJP MLA further added that not just India, but the construction of the dam might also affect Bangladesh.

"People’s safety and country’s security cannot be compromised. Our motto should be ‘Nation First’ and we have to think for India’s security," the former minister of state for minority affairs said.

While supporting the construction of dams with storage capacity to check floods in the region, the MLA from Pasighat West assembly constituency informed that there is no water treaty between India and China so far.

Referring to the opposition by anti-dam protagonists, the lawmaker suggested that they should be consulted before constructing dams so that the interest of the people could be looked at.

"Hydropower is Arunachal Pradesh's only resource," he added.

Chief Minister Pema Khandu in September last had informed that the Centre has proposed to construct a large barrage on the Siang river to keep the area secure in view of the potential threat from the huge dam on the Yarlung Tsangpo river.

"In case of release of excessive water, we need to have big structures to protect ourselves from floods. The Centre, too, has expressed concern about the position of the Siang river once the Chinese project is completed. We have to keep Siang alive. If there is diversion of water by China, massive land erosion will take place," Khandu had said.

Ering resigned from the Congress and joined the Bharatiya Janata Party on 25 February 2024.

(With Inputs from PTI)