Arunachal CM: Siang project aims to curb China flood risks

ITANAGAR: Arunachal Pradesh CM Pema Khandu said the Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP), estimated to cost Rs 1.13 lakh crore, was being planned by the Centre not just for generating electricity but to maintain the natural flow of the river all year round and mitigate risks of flooding if China released excess water.

Khandu's remarks came in the wake of China approving the construction of the world's largest dam, at a cost of $137 billion, on the Brahmaputra river in Tibet close to the Indian border.

The dam is to be built at a gorge in the Himalayan reaches where the Brahmaputra makes a huge U-turn to flow into Arunachal and then to Bangladesh.

"The SUMP, with an estimated installed capacity of 11,000 mw, is not just about generating power, but also about maintaining the natural flow of the Siang river and mitigating potential flood risks from water releases by China," Khandu said. "The real objective of the project is to save the Siang river and the communities that have depended on it for generations," he said. The survey for preparing the pre-feasibility report of the projects is yet to be done amid opposition from locals concerned about displacement, loss of livelihoods, and environmental impact.

Warning of severe consequences if China's project moves ahead "without safeguards", Khandu said plans to divert water from the Brahmaputra into its arid regions could drastically reduce the flow of the Siang river during winters.

Acknowledging the ongoing bilateral discussions between India and China, the chief minister cautioned against "complacency" and underscored the need for India to remain vigilant.

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