ACR press release on Env. Minister's take on Arunachal dams, Aug 12, 2010
Neeraj Vagholikar
Please see pasted below and attached a press release dated August 12th issued by the Arunachal Citizens Right (ACR) on Env. Minister's recent statements on the urgency for dams in Arunachal to counter Chinese plans on the Brahmaputra.
From: Arunachal Citizens <acr...@gmail.com>
Date: 14 August 2010 16:26
Subject: updates
To: Neeraj Vagholikar <nva...@gmail.com>
Press Release.
Do not make us sacrificial lambs and guineapigs:
India should explore joint discussion on river water sharing with China
Arunachal Citizens Right views with grave concern the unilateral decision of the Government of India to impose large storage dam projects on Subansiri, Siang and Lohit river basins, the tributaries of Brahmaputra, as a strategy to counter China’s proposed dam building on Tsangpo.
Citing diversion of the water flow of Brahmaputra with consequences on downstream impacts in India, the Indian Government wants to exercise its ‘first user’ rights to strengthen its position in future negotiations with China over riparian rights.
When the policy of large dams in Arunachal Pradesh has already become a controversy here, with protests coming in from communities living in various river basins such as Subansiri, Siang and Dibang, making large storage dams a fait accompli is an affront to the people of Arunachal Pradesh who remain pawns in the larger energy security policy of the Government and now in the geopolitical relations between India and China, all without their consent.
Equally serious is the statement coming out of the Ministry of Environment and Forests that clearances of such projects will be put in the fast track. The EIA Notification 2006 under the Environment Protection Act, 1986 does not provide for any fast track clearance. Which means that such projects will be cleared without taking in to account the results of the public hearing and the environment impact assessment of such projects.
Therefore, a fast track clearance entails violation of its own notification and Act by the Ministry of Environment and Forests under the Government of India.
Rather than making us, the people of Arunachal, the sacrificial lambs and guineapigs out of the India-China geopolitical strategy and negotiations, India should immediately explore the possibility of a joint discussion with China on the issue of riparian rights and water sharing of rivers which flow through both the countries.
On the issue of riparian rights the people of Arunachal Pradesh will definitely stand by Government of India’s position on downstream impacts of diversion of river water flow in the upstream of a river basin. But, that would mean that Government of India should also recognize the legitimate concerns over downstream impacts of dams in Arunachal Pradesh voiced by the people of Assam and within Arunachal itself.
Bamang Tago,
Chairperson,
Arunachal Citizens Rights,
Yara-tabang Complex, ESS-Sector,
Itanagar-791111.
email: acr...@gmail.com
Phone: 09436057205